Undercover Games
by D. Leveille
Summary: L enlists a fellow university student to spy on Raito Yagami during class, but can he trust Aya, or is she working as a double agent for Kira? *Alternate version of Death Note, L x OC*
1. Meeting

Hi there, thanks for choosing to read my story! This is a re-imagining of Death Note that I created based on these two scenarios:

_*What if L had a university student working undercover for him? _

_*What if Death Note was set in present day and Raito Yagami had a smart phone?_

While it follows the canon timeline, many events turn out very differently from the original. The story is told from the point of view of L and my original character, Aya Takeda.

Warnings: There are spoilers for the series up to the Yotsuba arc. Rated T for language and themes.

Disclaimer: I don't own the plot or characters of Death Note. My eternal gratitude (and love) goes out to the creators Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata for bringing their vision to the world and providing fans with so much inspiration.

And lastly, a very big thank you to _The_Maverick013_ for pointing out mistakes and offering suggestions to make this fic better. I really appreciate your interest and support!

Now onto to the story… I hope you enjoy it ^.^ Please drop me a review and let me know what you think!

* * *

**Chapter 1: Meeting**

**Mid April**

Aya Takeda was sitting in the front row of the lecture hall, not because she wanted to, but because the professor's handwriting was on the small side. Even with glasses, Aya had a hard time seeing everything. The professor spoke much too fast for her to simply write as he discussed, and as a result, philosophy was Aya's least favorite class.

The hall began slowly filling up and Aya watched everyone as they came in. There were those talking excitedly with friends, fashionable girls wearing designer clothes, guys who looked as if they were hung over or half asleep, and then just average students like herself. People watching always amused her. She would wonder about their lives and what was going on inside their heads.

Professor Ichijo came in with five minutes to spare. He particularly intrigued Aya. On the surface, he was just an average middle-aged man wearing a suit and carrying a briefcase; easily forgettable on the train and probably someone who no one would look twice at. Aya certainly wouldn't have, but because she attended his lecture once a week and sat in the front row, she always got a good look at him. He had a deep wrinkle between his eyebrows and a permanent scowl on his face. He wore a wedding ring, but Aya didn't believe it was a happy marriage. Someone with a good personal life would at least smile once in a while and they wouldn't be so impatient with others.

He placed his briefcase on the table, took out his notes, and immediately started writing on the dry erase board. There was no greeting or introduction. She sighed and picked up her pen. Someone wandered through the doors, but Aya barely noticed. She was too busy copying down notes.

"I hate it when students are late for my lectures," Professor Ichijo said in an irritated tone.

Aya looked up and saw a young man with disheveled hair and a pale complexion. He was dressed almost too casually and he was hunched over like someone with scoliosis. She recognized him right away. He had stood up on stage with Raito Yagami for the opening freshman speech. Aya had also seen him play a game of tennis not too long ago.

Professor Ichijo surveyed him critically. "What is your name?"

"Hideki Ryuuga. I apologize for the interruption, sensei. I would have been here sooner, but the traffic was bad today," he said in a soft, monotone voice. He had his hands shoved self consciously into his pockets.

"Very well, I'll let it go this time." Professor Ichijo paused dramatically. "However, I won't hesitate to take points off your average if you're late for my class again."

Ryuuga acknowledged his words by inclining his head. He turned around and shuffled up the stairs in search of a seat.

Aya felt sorry for him. She was so distracted by the professor's rude behavior that she accidentally knocked her pen onto the floor. She tried to stretch her foot, but it was out of reach. Aya was sitting on the end, so she slipped out of her chair and walked around the front to retrieve it. She had almost made it back to her chair when the professor started in on her.

"You there, what are you doing out of your seat?"

"I dropped my pen," she answered in a clear voice.

His scowl deepened. "There's been nothing but disruptions today."

"I'm sorry, but this is the only pen I have with me."

"Well perhaps you should bring another one just in case," he scolded.

Aya's heart was pounding and she could feel her face heating up. She wanted nothing more than to tell the professor that he was the one who kept disrupting the class. Aya bit her lip to stop herself from speaking and slid back into her chair.

Once he had resumed writing on the board, a nice girl named Keiko asked if she was alright. She nodded and Keiko gave her a sympathetic smile.

_*What is wrong with him? Yelling at us and treating us like misbehaving kids… this is university, not primary school,* _Aya thought angrily. She was far too upset to take detailed notes and spent most of the class indulging in revenge scenarios.

She hurried out as soon as the professor dismissed them. Aya stopped in the hallway to put her notebook away, but she had another reason as well. She wanted to see where Hideki Ryuuga was going next.

He emerged from the lecture hall and headed for the exit with a large group of other students. She followed behind, hoping she would get a chance to talk with him.

Ryuuga sat down on a bench, stretched out his legs, and leaned his head back. A gentle gust of wind blew his dark hair off his forehead. He closed his eyes, a little smile playing across his lips_. _Aya noticed that his skin looked even paler in the sunlight. *_He must not go outside very much,* _she thought, sitting down quietly at the end of the bench. Aya tried to read a paperback novel, but a minute passed and she was still on the same page. She glanced over to see Ryuuga looking back at her. He was in the same slumped position, but he had turned his head to look at her.

"Hello," he said lazily.

"Hi. You're Hideki Ryuuga, right? I'm in your philosophy class."

He pulled his legs up onto the bench and she glanced down at his scuffed sneakers. Everything about him was a bit shabby, but Aya found him interesting. She guessed that he was one of those highly intelligent eccentrics you hear so much about, but rarely ever meet in person.

"Yes. I remember you. That bastard chewed you out too."

Aya laughed at his comment. "He's such a bad professor, huh? I'm Aya Takeda by the way."

"Nice to meet you."

Now that she was looking at him up close, she could see that he was only part Japanese. His nose was long and straight and he had dark brown eyes that bulged out slightly, giving him a perpetually surprised appearance.

"I don't think I've ever seen you in class before," she commented.

"Yeah, it's the first time I've shown up. I usually submit all my work through email."

"Why? Do you have a medical condition or something?" Aya asked and blushed when she realized how intrusive that sounded. _*He does look a bit ill though,* _she added to herself.

Ryuuga didn't seem fazed by the question. "Well that's what I say, but the truth is that I really dislike sitting in classrooms."

"I envy you. I wish I could get good grades without attending lectures."

"How do you know I get good grades?" he asked, narrowing his eyes slightly.

"Because you aced the entrance exams along with Raito Yagami," she replied with a shrug. "I saw you up on stage during the welcoming ceremony."

"You remember that?"

Aya gave him a little smile. "Of course. You're a hard person to forget."

"I guess that's true. I'm weird, aren't I?"

She waved her hands in dismissal. "No, no. I wouldn't call you weird. You just look different from other people, but that's a good thing."

* * *

L studied the girl sitting beside him. She had a pleasant, open looking face, light brown eyes, stylish wire frame glasses, and long wavy brown hair that was secured in place with a jeweled pin. Her preppy clothing made her appear proper and scholarly. The English book in her hand told L that she knew the language well enough to read it without referencing a dictionary.

"I watched you play tennis," she told him.

"Did you? I guess there was quite a big crowd watching us," L replied, recalling it in detail.

"You were really good. I wanted you to win."

"Thank you. Yagami-kun was stronger than me that day, but I won't lose to him again." L's stomach made a growling noise. "Do you want to get something to eat?"

"Yeah, that would be great. There's a café nearby."

They both stood up. With L's slumped posture, he wasn't that much taller than Aya. L took a good look at her and estimated her height at around 165 centimeters. Her hair fell down to the middle of her back. L was just thinking that it was her best feature when Aya glanced over at him and said, "Ryuuga-san, you keep staring at me."

"Sorry. I'm not around girls very much," he admitted, without a hint of embarrassment.

She smiled at him. "That's alright."

They arrived at the café and found a table underneath a green and white striped awning. The chairs were small and metal. L would have to sit normally. A waitress brought out menus and asked what they would like to drink. They both ordered coffee.

L decided to steer the conversation in an interesting direction. "So Takeda-san, are you acquainted with Raito Yagami?"

She shook her head. "I've never spoken to him, but he is in one of my classes. He's very popular with girls."

"And are you one of his admirers?"

"No," Aya replied. "He isn't my type at all."

"Oh? Why is that?" he asked curiously.

"He's too perfect. It's creepy."

L's eyes got wider. "Why is it creepy?"

"I don't know. I guess he just doesn't seem sincere," she said, flipping her menu open. "When he smiles or laughs, you can tell that it's forced. Does that make sense? I can't explain it very well. It's just a feeling I get about him."

"Makes sense to me," he agreed.

The waitress arrived with their drinks. Aya looked up from the menu. Her glasses had slipped slightly and she pushed the edge of the frame up to realign them. L ordered a strawberry cheesecake and Aya chose an apple cinnamon muffin. Once the waitress left, L added four creamers and four sugars to his coffee. He stirred the contents with a spoon and when he looked up, Aya was staring at him.

"Are you friends with Yagami-san?" she asked.

"No, he's more of a rival," he replied, putting his spoon down and taking a sip of coffee.

"Then I'll speak honestly." Aya added one sugar cube and stirred carefully. "There's something very guarded about him. It's like he's keeping a secret or he has another life that's dangerous. Maybe he's the son of a yakuza or something?" she suggested.

"Good guess, but his father is actually a police chief."

"Oh." She gave an embarrassed laugh. "Well I was completely wrong about that."

"I think you're right about the secret life though. You must watch him closely to come to that conclusion."

"I sit a few rows back so I see everything he does whether I want to or not."

She raised the cup to her mouth and blew on her coffee. L watched the way the steam spiraled around her face. His own drink was already lukewarm because of the creamer, but Aya hadn't added any to hers.

"You should see the way some of the girls act around him. It's really embarrassing. You'd think he was an idol with a fan club or something." She took a sip, made a face like it was too hot, and put the cup back down to let it cool off.

"Hmm, that's interesting. And does he like the attention?"

"He ignores it pretty much, but these two girls sit in the same row as him and they talk a lot. Yagami-san is polite to them."

L changed the subject and asked her some questions about herself. Aya didn't hesitate to answer, which he took as a sign that she was more than likely being truthful.

Their desserts arrived, giving L some time to think as he ate. When he first opened his eyes and saw a girl sitting next to him on the bench, his initial reaction was to be suspicious of her. L immediately wondered if she had been sent there by Raito Yagami._ *But she's the one who brought him up,* _he added to himself. _*People who are undercover don't usually mention the person that they're spying for… though it could be a ruse to throw me off the scent. I mean, what are the chances of her being in a class with both of us?*_

L watched her for a moment. He had never seen someone use a fork to eat a muffin before. She chewed a small bite, mouth closed in the polite way. His own table manners were lacking compared to hers; L had practically inhaled his dessert.

Aya felt his gaze and looked up at him. "Well Ryuuga-san, I've told you a lot about myself. Now it's your turn to share."

"Hmm lets see." He tried to think of what he could tell her. "I played tennis for many years when I was younger. I have insomnia, which I'm sure you've already guessed at by these circles under my eyes. Oh and I eat way too many sweets," L replied, motioning to his now empty plate.

Aya laughed. "And you're funny."

"Am I?"

"Yes."

His legs fidgeted underneath the table. "No one's ever called me funny before."

L decided to tell her about Raito._ *It could be a trap, but I can play their game too. She might even be useful.* _

Aya finished her muffin and they split the cost of the bill. As they got up from the table, L said, "Do you have somewhere to be right now?"

She glanced down at her watch. "No, I have about an hour until my next class."

"Will you walk with me for a bit then? There's something I'd like to discuss with you."

"Alright," Aya replied, looking at him curiously.

There were too many students in the vicinity, so L headed in the direction of an office building.

"Lets sit here," he said, lowering himself onto some brick steps and resting his hands on his knees.

Aya sat next to him and pulled a tube of cherry flavored chap stick out of her black messenger bag. She ran it over her lips before turning to him. "So, what do you want to tell me?"

"I'm working on a criminal investigation right now and Raito Yagami is a suspect," he stated.

Aya looked genuinely surprised. "Are you kidding around with me?"

He shook his head, eyes never leaving her own.

"You're an undercover cop?" she asked in clarification.

"I prefer the term 'private investigator,'" L replied.

"Wow, that's just… sorry, but I'm having a hard time believing this. You don't really look the part of a private investigator."

He smirked. "Let me guess, you think I'd be more believable if I was wearing a business suit and trench coat, right? But if I wore that, I wouldn't look very much like a student."

Aya laughed. "Yeah, I guess you have a point there." Her expression turned serious again. "Is Yagami-san dangerous?"

"If he's the person I think he is, then yes."

She looked away from him and stared off into the distance. After a moment she said, "I can help, you know. It will be easy for me to watch him since I'm in his class."

"Yeah? Well if you really want to." L tried to sound casual, but he was pleased she had offered.

"Absolutely," she replied, meeting his eyes again.

"There's something else. Yagami-kun knows I'm investigating him, so we can't be seen together."

Aya furrowed her brow in puzzlement. "Did you tell him that or did he find out on his own?"

"I told him because it was the only way to test my theories. I'm sorry, but I can't say more than that right now."

"I understand." Aya chewed on her lip thoughtfully. "Since I don't know what to look for, I'll just observe his general behavior and report back to you."

"Alright. Lets exchange phone numbers." L pulled up the 'add contact' screen so all she had to do was type in her information. "Just put your initials."

She did as he asked and handed his phone back to him a few seconds later. Aya gave him her own and waited until he was finished entering his number before asking him if there was anything else she should know.

"Yes. If you ever talk to him, give an alias when introducing yourself. Does your professor call out the names of students?"

"No, he never takes attendance. There's too many of us," Aya replied.

"Good. That's good." L checked the time on his phone. It was almost 3 PM. _*Biology started fifteen minutes ago… it's too late to go there now so I'll just return to the hotel.* _"Well it's time for me to leave. I don't want Yagami-kun to see us together."

"I guess you always have to worry about things like that, huh?" she said.

"Yes, unfortunately it goes along with the profession."

"It must be tiring."

L nodded. "It is, but I'm used to it."

"Well I'll share the burden with you." She touched his shoulder in a friendly way.

He was so surprised that he jumped slightly. "Thank you." L got to his feet, but she remained sitting down. "You're not leaving?"

"No, I think I'll read here for a while," Aya said, unzipping her bag and pulling out her book.

"When is your class with Yagami-kun?"

"In two days."

L nodded. "Alright, I'll be in touch before then. Thanks for talking with me, Takeda-san. I enjoyed myself."

She shaded her eyes from the sun and looked up at him. "Me too. Call me Aya from now on, alright? There's no need to be formal."

"If you like."

They said goodbye. L turned around and sent a text message to Watari so he could pick him up with the car.

* * *

If Aya was not Raito's accomplice, L was taking a risk with her life. He called her around 8 PM to give her another chance to back out.

Aya was sitting at her desk, highlighting her notes from that afternoon when her phone rang. She got up and retrieved it out of her school bag. 'R' came up on the caller ID.

"Hi Ryuuga-san, what's up?"

"Listen Aya, I'm not sure if spying on Yagami-kun is such a good idea. He's sure to notice what you're doing."

She sat down on the edge of her bed. "He won't. I told you, a lot of girls like him. He's always being stared at," she insisted. "I'll only be keeping an eye on him anyway. I won't do anything dangerous."

"Well if you're sure…" he trailed off.

"I'm sure. What is it that you suspect him of anyway?"

"Murder."

Aya let out a breath. "I figured it was that," she said quietly.

"Still want to continue with this?"

"Of course," she replied. "I'm more determined to help you now."

L was presented with an opportunity to find out more information about Aya and he didn't hesitate to take it.

"Does that mean you have a strong sense of justice?" he asked.

"Yes, I suppose I do. I watch a lot of police dramas."

"Hmm, is that so? Are you interested in pursuing a career in law enforcement?"

"I don't know. I haven't decided yet." She got up and walked towards the window. The blinds were still open and she could see the streetlights outside.

L continued to question her. "And does your sense of justice tell you that criminals should be punished?"

"Punished by the law, yes," Aya replied.

"Just out of curiosity, how do you feel about what Kira is doing?"

She lowered the blinds. "I don't approve. I think Kira is a terrorist."

"That's interesting. The public opinion right now is overwhelmingly in support of Kira."

"Yes, well, the majority of people are idiots and don't realize that Kira is holding us hostage with fear," she said in frustration.

L couldn't help but smile at her emotional response. "I completely agree with you."

Aya sat back down on her bed and folded her legs underneath her body, trying to regain some composure.

"You aren't really a student, are you?" she asked after a moment.

"Not the kind of student that you are. I'm enrolled, but I only entered so I could meet Yagami-kun."

"To sit for entrance exams all because of an investigation is very dedicated, and it's even more impressive that you aced them without any preparation," she complimented.

"It wasn't a big deal. Anyone who takes their job seriously would do the same." He paused, searching for the right words. "I appreciate you volunteering for this, Aya. It's really helping me out."

"I'm glad to do it. Maybe it will give me a better idea of the career path I should take."

"You're a positive person," he stated.

"I guess I am."

Back in his darkened hotel room, L wondered how long that would last. He doubted that Aya really knew what she was getting into. _*Maybe I don't know what I'm getting into either,* _he added to himself silently.


	2. Investigations

**Chapter 2: Investigations**

Aya arrived twenty minutes before class started in order to sit in the seat behind Raito Yagami. A group of girls were always vying for that row just to be near him. She got out her textbook and waited. Five minutes passed and his fan club entered. Aya could feel them glaring at her as they squeezed by and sat a few seats away. She continued to read until she heard one of them hiss, "There he is!"

Aya stifled a laugh. *_They're like junior high girls.* _She glanced up and saw him climbing the steps to his seat. She pretended to read so that they wouldn't make eye contact. The two girls who always sat in the same row as him made their way over and immediately started chatting.

"Raito-kun, wasn't that assignment so annoying?" said the short girly one in a high pitched voice.

"It wasn't so bad," he answered.

"Hey, you want to come with us to a club tonight?" asked the taller one, who was prettier and less annoying.

"Some other time. I have a lot of studying to do."

"Aww, you need to have some fun once in while. I know! We should all get together and study for this exam coming up. Will you Raito-kun?" the girly one simpered.

"Alright. Just let me know when you're free and we can set something up."

Their conversation came to an end when the professor started talking. The girls got up and moved down so that the seat next to him was vacant. Aya wondered about that. *_He does like to spread out his belongings… could he have asked them to give him some space?*_

Aya took notes, but Raito was too busy looking down at his phone to pay attention to the professor. He wasn't texting though. From what Aya could see, he appeared to be scrolling through something. *_An article or an email perhaps?*_ She noticed that he occasionally wrote something down on a loose piece of notebook paper.

Right before class ended, Raito folded up the paper and stuck it in his pocket. He closed his binder and placed it carefully into his bag. Class was dismissed and he walked out with the two girls from earlier. Aya hung back and let the other students put a barrier between them.

She went into the girls bathroom and checked to make sure no one was in any of the stalls. It was empty. She called Ryuuga, who picked up on the third ring.

"Hello?"

"It's Aya, I just got out of class."

"How did it go?"

"Fine." She then explained about the loose piece of notebook paper.

"So he only wrote on it after reading something on his phone?"

"Yes, he wasn't paying any attention to the professor. Then he folded it up and stuck it in his pocket like it was important."

"He did this the whole class?"

"Yes."

"About how many times did he pick up his pencil to write?"

Aya thought back. "Seven or eight. Do you think that paper is important?"

"Yes, I'm sure that it is. I need to go now and check a few things. Thanks for your work today. I'll be in touch."

"Alright. Bye, Ryuuga-san."

* * *

When L hung up the phone, he reached for the remote control and raised the volume up on the news broadcast. If any deaths occurred during Raito's class, the news would probably report on it within an hour.

"Watari," he called out, "do we have any soy-milk in the fridge?"

A moment later, the older man emerged from another room in the hotel suite. "I believe so. Would you like some, Ryuuzaki?"

"Yes, a big glass please and a package of those chocolate chip cookies too."

* * *

L had just finished dunking his tenth cookie in the milk and was in the process of raising it to his opened mouth when the newscaster announced that more criminals had died in prisons. He paused a second too long and the soggy cookie broke off and landed in the cup, splashing milk onto his face. L didn't care though; he was too busy counting the names that were being read out. _*Eight people,* _he thought gleefully. _*It can't be a coincidence… now if only she had seen what he wrote down!* _He ate the remaining half of the cookie, licked his fingers, and wiped his face with the sleeve of his shirt.

L called Watari into the room and told him about Aya's observations.

"I think I should invite her here and tell her about the Kira case."

Watari frowned. "Is it wise to trust her with that information?"

L rose from the armchair and stretched his cramped body. "I don't trust her exactly, but I want Aya to wear a camera to her next class and get a look at that piece of paper. I think she'll be happy to cooperate with us if she knows Raito is a Kira suspect. She already made it clear to me that she isn't a supporter of Kira, so I think it's time to test her sincerity."

"Agreeing to wear the camera doesn't ensure that she isn't working for Raito Yagami," Watari reminded him.

"I know that, but I'm curious to see her reaction and I'm even more curious to see what the camera will capture." L turned off the TV and walked over to the window. "Plus telling her that I'm L doesn't really matter. Raito already knows this, so she could be aware of my identity already."

"Then you do think it's possible that Miss Takeda is a double agent?"

"It's a possibility, but a very small one. Less than 1% since I can't find a common link between them," L replied, watching the cars on the street below. "They went to different high schools on opposite sides of the city and they didn't attend the same cram school either. University started a few weeks ago, so that's probably the first time they came into contact with each other. It's doubtful that Raito would trust a recent acquaintance with that kind of secret. Plus he's too arrogant to have an accomplice. He thinks he can do it all himself."

"You would have thought the same way at one time," Watari replied with a wry smile.

L sighed. "I know, but I'm older and wiser now. If I want to catch Kira, I'm going to need help. I can't be putting my ego above other people's lives." He turned to face Watari. "I think Raito was writing the names of criminals on that piece of paper."

"It's very likely."

"If we can get those names on camera, we'll be a step ahead of him."

"That's assuming this isn't a trick," Watari added.

L smirked. "We'll just have to be smarter then, won't we?"

* * *

Aya left her house on Saturday at 1 PM. She took a bus to the city center and walked a block to the hotel. An older man with white hair, glasses, and a mustache answered the door. His black suit and stern demeanor reminded Aya of a butler.

"Hello, I'm Aya Takeda. I'm here to see Ryuuga-san." There wasn't much of a reaction from the man, so Aya added, "Have I come to the right room?"

He nodded and stepped aside so that Aya could enter. She slipped off her shoes.

"Please follow me," he said, walking down a short hallway.

A moment later, Aya was in a spacious sitting area. She didn't see Ryuuga and felt momentarily worried that going to the hotel room was a trap. Before she could start to panic, he appeared from a back room. Ryuuga was wearing the same faded jeans and white pullover shirt that she had seen him in before. He walked towards her with his hands in his pockets. She noticed that his feet were bare, which gave him a vulnerable, child-like appearance.

"Hello Aya, thanks for coming today. Please sit down wherever you'd like."

"Hi Ryuuga-san." She smiled. "I almost thought I had the wrong room before." Aya glanced around, but the older gentleman had disappeared.

"Watari will be back shortly with some refreshments."

She sat down on the sofa and watched as Ryuuga crouched like a primate on the armchair opposite her. Aya found this strange, but didn't comment on it.

"So, is he your butler or something?"

"Not exactly. He's more of a direct supervisor who takes care of things."

"I see." But Aya didn't really understand how someone could be a supervisor and an assistant. No matter how she looked at it, Ryuuga was the boss.

Watari came into the room with a tray of tea and sweets. He put it down on the low table and turned his gaze on Aya. "Would you like some tea, Takeda-san?" he asked politely.

"Yes please," she replied, watching as he poured the orange colored liquid into a white cup. Aya could tell that it was an Earl Grey blend from the bergamot smell.

"Sugar or cream?"

"Neither. I prefer mine black."

Watari handed her the cup and saucer.

"Thank you." It wasn't too hot, so she took a sip.

"How can you drink that plain? Isn't it bitter?"

Aya looked up at Ryuuga and smiled. "Not at all. Drinking it black is the only way to taste the unique flavor of the tea leaves."

"Are you a tea connoisseur?"

"Something like that. My mother is English so I've practically grown up drinking tea. When I moved to Japan, I joined the tea club and learned how to perform a traditional Japanese ceremony."

"Impressive. I'd like to see that sometime."

"I haven't performed one since middle-school. I'll have to study up a bit so that I don't embarrass myself."

Ryuuga took his highly sugared tea from Watari. "You don't have to worry about that because I don't know anything about tea ceremonies. I won't know if you're performing it wrong."

"Even so, I want to make sure I'm doing it the right way." Aya leaned forward to get a shortbread cookie off a plate. It tasted exactly like the ones her mother kept at home. "Are these Walkers?" she asked, looking at Watari who had finally sat down in an armchair.

"They are," he replied.

"I love these," she commented, savoring it as she ate. Once she had finished and wiped her hands on a napkin, she looked up at the two men sitting opposite her. "So why did you want me to come here today?"

* * *

L put his cup down. "Before I begin, I'm going to need you to sign a privacy disclosure ensuring that you won't speak about this case to anyone. Do you agree?"

"Yes, of course," she answered.

Watari rose from the chair and presented her with a clipboard and pen. The piece of paper said:

_I, _, hereby swear not to reveal any information I receive about the case concerning Raito Yagami to any outside party. I fully understand that if I should tell anyone and the investigation is compromised as a result, that I could be sued for breach of contract and even face criminal charges._

Aya looked up from the paper. "This is quite serious."

"Yes, it is," L replied. "You don't have to sign. You can walk away if you're uncomfortable with it."

She shook her head. "I'm too invested in this now." She filled in her name and then dated and signed it before giving the clipboard back to Watari.

"Well, now that the technicalities are out of the way, I can get right to it then." L paused and looked directly at her to gauge her reaction. "What you observed the other day is very helpful to this investigation. We suspect that Raito Yagami is Kira."

Aya's eyes widened in shock, but she didn't say anything.

"I have a small team working with me. Raito has been a suspect since the FBI agent who was tailing him ended up dead. That was a few months ago. Security cameras and microphones were placed in the Yagami home, but unfortunately we didn't catch him doing anything that could directly tie him to the murders."

"Wait, do you work for the Japanese police?" Aya asked, finding her voice.

"No. I'm L, the lead detective on the Kira case."

She let out a small gasp. "What? But L's been around for a long time and you can't be that much older than I am!"

"Age has nothing to do with reasoning skills," he replied, "but I suppose it's only natural that everyone expects L to be a middle-aged man. That works to my advantage and lets me keep a low profile."

"So Hideki Ryuuga is just an alias?"

"One of many," he replied.

Aya took a sip of her tea and L noticed that her hand was shaking slightly as she put it back down on the saucer.

"What should I call you then?"

"I'm known as Ryuuzaki by the people who work for me."

"Then I'll call you that too. Sorry for interrupting your story, Ryuuzaki-san. Please tell me more about the surveillance."

L folded his hands over his knees. "Well, during the time that he was being watched, Kira murdered more people. We had to clear Raito because we only had footage of him studying. You told me the other day that he wrote something down seven or eight times on a piece of paper. Shortly after your call, the news broadcasted the deaths of eight criminals. I think that he was searching on his phone for articles about these men. Of course this is all speculation on my part."

Aya licked her lips as though they had gone dry. "So you think that Yagami-san wrote their names down and then had them killed after getting out of class?"

"No, not afterwards. All of those men died from heart attacks during your class. Did you see the news broadcast a few months ago when Lind L. Tailor died almost instantly on live TV?"

Aya nodded.

"Well based on that event and your observations, it would seem that writing a name is all that it takes to kill someone. This is assuming that Raito is Kira of course."

"Killing someone by writing a name is impossible," Aya said, knitting her brows together.

"Logically speaking it is, and yet it appears to be true," L replied casually. "It is my belief that Kira needs a name and a face to kill, which is why Lind L. Tailor died instead of me that day. This is why I told you to give Raito an alias if he should ever speak to you."

"I guess it makes sense when you put it that way… but I honestly find all of this completely crazy."

"I find it crazy too. I would rather not believe in supernatural forces." L touched his lip. "This theory complicates things for me."

Watari cleared his throat. "Takeda-san, would you be willing to wear a small camera and microphone to your next class? It will help if we can capture Raito Yagami engaging in the same behavior."

"Yes," Aya answered without hesitation. "But you really need to see what he's writing. I could lean forward and ask to borrow a pencil. I might be able to catch a glimpse of the paper for you."

L and Watari exchanged a look.

"That's risky, Aya. Are you sure?" L asked after a moment.

"Absolutely."

"Then Watari is going to have to type up another document for you to sign stating that you're aware of the danger."

"And let me guess, that I won't sue you if something bad should happen to me?" Aya asked in a joking tone, though L could tell by her eyes that she was entirely serious.

"Exactly. I don't usually work with civilians, so I have to follow protocol with these documents for your protection and my own."

"I understand."

"Good. That makes this much easier then."

Watari excused himself to get the second disclosure, which was already typed up and waiting in one of the bedrooms. L had fully expected Aya to agree to the suggestion.

He reached forward to get a shortbread cookie. "You looked surprised before. You really didn't suspect that I was L?"

"No, not at all." Aya pushed up the edge of her glasses to realign them. "So how did you became a world famous detective? Did you study criminology at university?"

"No," he replied. "It was actually Watari's idea. He thought I would be good at it, so I was brought onto a case as a consultant when I was still a kid."

"Wow, that's incredible! Your family must be proud."

"I don't have one. I grew up in an orphanage." Before she could respond, he switched the conversation back to her. "What about you? Do you live with your family?"

"Yes, with my parents and older sister."

Watari came back into the room a minute later and presented Aya with the disclosure. Once she had signed it, he handed her the hidden camera and microphone, explaining briefly how they worked.

For the first time, L saw her display an expression of being overwhelmed. Seeing that flash of fear made him less suspicious of her. _*But only a bit,* _he added, drinking down the rest of his tea.

* * *

Aya left just after 3 PM. She tried to read on her way home, but her mind was racing. She was nervous, yet eager for class next week. She reached into her purse and touched the pin shaped like a star burst. The stones were iridescent blue-black crystals, the same color as the camera lens in the center of the pin. Aya closed her eyes and listened to the hammering of her heart. *_I can do this. I know I can do this,* _she thought, trying to give herself encouragement.

* * *

"What do you think, Watari?" L asked later that evening.

"She's a very charming girl. I can see why you invited her over."

L heaved a sigh. "I'm being serious here."

Watari chuckled. "I think she behaved exactly as you said she would."

L nodded. "But what I can't figure out is her lack of hesitation. Normally people would think twice before undertaking something so dangerous." He stroked his bottom lip. "I can think of only two possibilities for her behavior. She's either an enthusiastic amateur detective who thinks this is some kind of fun game, or she's not afraid because she's working with Raito. But the question is, which option is it? They both seem plausible to me."

"Ryuuzaki, I think it's best to wait and see what she captures on camera," Watari said, interrupting L's train of thought. "There's no point in analyzing her until we know more."

L looked up and blinked. "Yes, you're right. I'll have a better understanding of the situation at that time." He got up from the chair and went over to the computer, hoping to distract himself.

* * *

Four days passed more quickly than Aya expected.

On the morning of her class, she pinned the camera on the right lapel of her blazer and examined herself in a full length mirror. She was wearing dark colors so as not to stand out. Her long hair was secured into a messy bun. Aya wanted to be forgettable; just an average student asking for a pencil. She sent L a text message letting him know that she was leaving her house.

L's phone beeped and he flipped it open. Aya was on her way to class. He sat at the desk and stared at a blank computer screen. The camera wouldn't be activated until right before. L poured himself another cup of coffee. His investigative team would be coming by later that night. If the camera caught something, he wasn't sure that he would be comfortable showing Chief Yagami. *_I might have to dismiss him from the case.* _L fidgeted in the chair and began stacking sugar cubes to pass the time.

* * *

Another message came in on L's phone half an hour later. Aya wrote: **I'm turning on the camera now. Go ahead and switch the sound on.**

L pressed the button just as the screen flickered into view. Aya was in the bathroom in front of a mirror. She waved to L, looking nervous.

"Alright. I'm going in now."

She turned away from the mirror, switching L's view to the bathroom door as her hands pushed it open. Aya made her way through students milling in the hallway and entered the noisy lecture hall. She climbed the steps and sat halfway up at the end of a row.

Seven minutes went by before L saw Raito walk through the doors. He glanced in Aya's direction before sliding into the second seat. L opened up a box of Hello Panda chocolate filled cookies and grabbed a handful, never taking his eyes off the screen. Watari appeared behind him.

Raito got out a school notebook and a textbook. He set his phone down in front of him and then flipped his notes open. Aya leaned forward a little, but they were regular class notes with anthropological terms. The professor came in and the students stopped talking, making it easy for L to hear the announcement of an exam in two weeks.

Aya took out a mechanical pencil. She wrote out a few things the professor said about what to study for. When the professor finally stopped speaking, Raito picked up his iphone and brought it down to his lap, well out of the camera's view. L looked at the clock in front of him and made a mental note of the time. It was nine minutes before he flipped to the back of his notebook and pulled out a half ripped piece of paper. L's eyes widened as he saw Raito's pencil move over it.

"Watari, can you record the news program for me?"

The older man moved away from L's chair and walked across the room to where the TV was located.

* * *

Raito wrote something on the paper three more times in the span of an hour. Aya knew she had to do it now while he was preoccupied with his phone. She pressed down on her pencil and the lead snapped off.

Aya swore under her breath and clicked the pencil furiously. She leaned as far forward as she could manage. L saw her right hand reach out to touch Raito's shoulder. The paper was visible, but neither of them could make out the words.

"Excuse me, but could I borrow a pencil from you? My lead just broke."

Raito jerked at her touch. He turned around, his eyes surprised at being interrupted. The look passed quickly and he gave her a fake smile.

"Sure, let me get one for you." He turned back around and reached into his bag. The paper was blocked from view again.

Raito handed Aya a pencil and said, "Keep it."

"You sure? Well thank you." She inclined her head. "Sorry to bother you."

"No problem." Raito faced forward again. He folded up the piece of paper and put it in his pocket. His phone remained untouched for the remainder of class.

Aya packed up slowly and when she looked up, Raito was staring at her. "Thanks again for this," she said, holding up the pencil.

"You're welcome," he said with a smile. "See you next class."

*_Raito has noticed Aya now.* _A brief feeling of worry crossed L's mind as he considered the kind of danger she could be in. _*But of course she's not in danger if she's working for him… and even if she isn't, Raito wouldn't be stupid enough to kill her. He'd consider that she could be my spy and wouldn't be able to take any action without implicating himself in her death,* _L reasoned. _*So I'm sure that she's safe. And anyway, it's too late to worry now. We both made this choice and we'll have to deal with the consequences.*_

* * *

Aya shut the camera off in the bathroom stall. There were a few other girls around, so she quickly left and sent L a text message outside the building. She wrote: **Let me know if you can read the paper.**

L rewound the video and pressed some buttons to enlarge the frame. They were names: Naoki Shintani, Takashi Honda, Yuki Morimoto, and Kyouhei Uchida. Raito had written the first name at 3:13, the second at 3:24, the third at 3:30, and the fourth at 3:46. L jotted the information down on a hotel notepad and brought it over to Watari. Then he responded to Aya.

**He wrote names down. Watching the news now. Want to come by?**

Aya was too excited to wait around for her last class. She quickly typed: **I'm on my way, heading for the bus stop now**. Another message came in with the address of a new hotel.

* * *

"Thank you Aya, you did well today." L handed her a box of chocolate pocky. "Here's your reward."

She laughed. "Thank you."

They didn't have to wait long for the story. A pretty newscaster appeared on the screen and said: 'Kira has killed four more convicted criminals in Japanese prisons this afternoon. The victims names are Takashi Honda, Naoki Shintani, Kyouhei Uchida, and Yuki Morimoto. The men died from heart attacks in their cells between 3 and 4 PM today. Three of the victims were sentenced to life in prison and one was scheduled to be executed next year.'

L gave the notepad to Aya.

"We got him!" she exclaimed excitedly. "I guess you were right about the names, but I'd be lying if I said I wasn't scared about this."

"It is scary to think that someone has this kind of power. The question is, how are we going to stop him?" He opened up a box of strawberry pocky and grabbed four sticks. L ate them all at once and continued his train of thought despite his mouth being full. "We don't actually know what the murder weapon is. We can't even call it a traditional murder weapon if it's a notebook… it's more like an instrument of death. Even supposing we found this magic notebook, it wouldn't hold up in court. The defense would just say that Raito was cataloging Kira's victims based on some kind of amateur interest in the case."

"But the names! The video shows him writing them down before they died," Aya insisted. "Surely the courts wouldn't dismiss that?"

L took a swig of coffee. "Aya, people don't want to believe in the supernatural. It challenges their worldview too much. Humans are essentially logical beings who rely on rational thought. I'm speaking of myself too. This case has made me re-evaluate my beliefs and it's an uncomfortable feeling. It's much easier to dismiss the evidence than to believe it."

Aya heaved a sigh. "That's true, but everyone knows the Kira case is unique. They've seen it for themselves, so I think they'd believe in the evidence eventually."

L gave her a sad smile. "That's because you have an optimistic world-view, Aya. You want to believe that people would do the right thing in a situation like this. I admire that, but you need to be realistic about human nature too."

"So you're saying the evidence means nothing then?" she asked in frustration.

"Not to a jury, but it means a great deal to us. We've had a small victory today and we should celebrate that. I just want you to be aware that this is simply the first step in a long journey. Bringing Kira to justice isn't going to be an easy task."

Aya looked down at her lap. "I just wanted it to be over, but I guess it was naïve to think he'd be arrested so easily."

"Naïve, maybe, but Kira will be stopped. It's only a matter of time now." He touched his lip thoughtfully. "I might have to go about it very differently than I normally would, but I'll have my justice."

* * *

Aya ended up staying for dinner. It was the first time she had ever been treated to expensive room service food.

"I'm glad that you eat nutritious food too," she commented.

"Watari makes me. If it was up to me, I wouldn't." L took a bite of chicken with an unenthusiastic expression on his face.

Aya had to hold back her laughter. _*He has the eating preferences of a little kid.*_

"Do you have a favorite food, Aya?" he asked, meeting her eyes.

"Pasta. And I love anything with chocolate."

"I'll be sure to remember that," he told her.

Aya noticed that he held his fork with two fingers. In fact, he seemed to pick everything up in this way; papers, telephones, cups. *_Must be another one of his quirks,* _she thought, smiling absentmindedly.

"What is it?" L asked.

"Oh nothing. I was just thinking that my life is a lot more interesting since meeting you." Aya wasn't about to tell him that she found his behavior strangely cute.

L turned his intense gaze on her. "So are you glad that you met me?"

"Yes." Aya really hoped she wasn't blushing. She continued eating, feeling L's eyes on her the whole time.

* * *

It was almost 7 PM when Aya left. L insisted on Watari taking her home. Assaults were down in Japan since Kira's executions, but he wasn't comfortable sending a young woman on the subway at night.

"Just have him drop you off on the next street if you don't want your family to see the car."

Once she was gone, L sat in an overstuffed chair and stared at the wall, deep in thought. He had been observing Aya closely and didn't detect anything false about her. L had even received a list of all the classes she took in middle and high school and none of them involved theater. *_Could a girl with no background in acting be so convincing?* _L didn't think so. *_And why would Raito write the names down if he knew that she was wearing a camera? It would make more sense for him to be taking regular school notes on that day in order to remove suspicion, while still having Aya as an insider. But it's possible that Raito expects me think this way... he might have written the names in order to see what I would do.*_

L had to consider that Aya wasn't involved. _*Then I have to ask myself why he would kill people in class. He's already proved that he has a certain amount of control over his victims. So in theory, he must be able to control the time of death as well. If that's the case, why take the risk by writing names down in class? Is it simply his arrogance that he won't be caught? As I've already established, people won't easily believe that someone can kill by writing names down. Raito has surely taken into account that any evidence we manage to get will be purely circumstantial, which any logical jury would dismiss. He's already proved that he's reckless by using his father's account to get inside information on the case, not to mention the way he killed Raye Penber. Despite his high intelligence, Raito is an impulsive individual who makes foolish choices. If I were Kira, I would have made sure not to do anything that would make me stand out as a suspect. But I guess it's pointless to compare myself to him since we go about everything differently. Both of us are immature and hate to lose, but Raito wants recognition while I'm content to work behind the scenes. Maybe this is why I can't understand his behavior.*_

L's head began to hurt. _*I need to stop thinking about this right now.* _Turning off his mind was not an easy task for him. The only thing that helped was a hot shower. L headed towards the bathroom, determined to relax the rest of the night.


	3. Imposter

**Chapter 3: Imposter**

**1 week later**

With video evidence already captured, L told Aya not to wear the camera pin. "It's too much of a risk, so just bring the microphone with you tomorrow," he said over the phone.

"Alright."

"And Aya, Raito is probably going to talk to you. Have you prepared yourself for that?"

"I think so," she replied, laying back on her pillows and staring up at the ceiling.

"Are you nervous?"

"Of course I am. He's a mass murderer," Aya said in a matter-of-fact tone.

"Try not to think about that. Imagine him as just another student. That will make it easier."

"You want me to try a visualization exercise before I go to bed or something?" she asked in clarification.

"Yeah."

Aya turned over onto her side and pulled a small red pillow to her chest. "It's too bad you don't know how to put people into a trance like Patrick Jane does. Then you could make me think of Yagami-san as a normal person and I would be able to relax."

"Who is Patrick Jane?" he asked curiously.

"He's the main character on 'The Mentalist' and he works as a consultant for the California Bureau of Investigation," she replied with a smile. "Patrick is extremely intelligent and knows how to play mind games with suspects in order to close out cases."

"Is this one of the police dramas you watch?"

"Yes."

"Well I'm sorry that I'm not as skilled as Patrick Jane," L said sarcastically.

Aya laughed. "That's alright. I won't hold it against you."

"Thanks. I appreciate it." He paused long enough to chew a piece of chocolate. "Do you have your alias prepared then?"

"Yeah, Ayako Yamazaki. There's a few students in the directory with that name so it should be okay to use. Well as long as your theory is right anyway," she added.

L ate another piece of chocolate. "It's right. Kira needs a name and a face to kill. The real Ayako Yamazaki's will not be harmed if he writes the name with you in his mind."

She sighed. "I hope so, otherwise we'll be murderers too."

"Hey, have a little faith in me. I am a professional."

Aya laughed again. "Alright, alright." She looked at her bedside clock. It was almost midnight. "I need to go to sleep now or I won't be able to get up tomorrow."

"Okay, goodnight then."

"Goodnight, Ryuuzaki-san."

While Aya was trying to fall asleep, L was downloading the first few episodes of 'The Mentalist' to his laptop. *_It's because I'm bored and have nothing else to do,* _he told himself.

* * *

Aya was getting out her school notebook when she heard someone say hello. She glanced up and saw Raito Yagami standing next to her chair. He gave her a shy smile, looking impossibly handsome.

"Do you mind if I sit next to you today?" he asked in his charming voice.

Aya's heart was hammering at his proximity. "No, please go ahead," she said, returning his smile.

Raito squeezed behind her and slid into the next seat.

"I'm Raito Yagami, nice to meet you."

She knew he expected her name so she said, "Nice to meet you. I'm Ayako Yamazaki."

"Today is the review for the exam, right?" Raito asked.

"Yes. We've already covered five chapters, so I'll have to study hard this week."

"We can study together if you'd like," he offered nonchalantly.

"That's nice of you, Yagami-san," she said, without actually committing to anything.

The professor started writing on the board. Aya flipped to a blank page and wrote down the topics that would be on the exam.

"I see that you still have my pencil," Raito said, leaning in slightly so that she felt his breath on her neck.

"Yes. Did you want it back?" Aya asked, turning her head to look at him. Their faces were so close that he could have leaned in to kiss her. The searing expression in his eyes made her heart speed up, and much to her embarrassment, she felt herself blushing.

He smiled at her reaction. "No, of course not," he replied, turning his attention back to the professor.

They didn't talk much for the remaining class period. Both of them were too busy taking notes. When the lecture was over and they were packing up, Raito asked how he could contact her about their study session.

_*I didn't even agree to study with him!* _Aya thought nervously. She couldn't think of an excuse fast enough and ended up writing down her childish sounding email from middle-school on a sticky note for him. Aya's primary address used her real name.

"Here you go." She handed it over.

"Thanks. I'll email you once I look at my schedule." Raito folded the note in half and stuck it in his bag. "Would you like to get something to eat?"

"I can't, I have another class," she lied.

"I'll walk you there," Raito offered.

"Thank you." Aya was smiling, but inside she was trying to figure out how to get rid of him.

She decided to take him to the science building, which was one of the largest on campus. Being outside in the fresh air and sunshine helped restore Aya's nerves. Her heart rate was just starting to slow down when Raito spoke again.

"Yamazaki-san, please don't think this forward of me, but do you have a boyfriend?"

Aya was surprised at the question, but she managed to regain composure. "Well, sort of."

"It's not serious though?"

"Not yet," Aya said, glancing at him.

"Good. Then I don't feel bad about asking you out."

Her heart sped up again. "I thought you said it was to study."

Raito smiled. "We will be studying, but I was hoping we could go to a restaurant afterwards."

"Oh, is that so?" She raised her eyebrows. "Well that's fine as long as you don't expect anything. I really do like the guy I'm seeing."

"Then I guess I'll have to work hard to change your mind."

Aya laughed at his confidence. "You're a real flirt, aren't you? I can see why the girls in our class like you so much."

They had reached the science building. He held the door open for her and she walked in.

"I have to use the restroom, so don't let me keep you."

"Alright, I'll see you later then."

"Bye!" She gave him a wave and turned around, heading in the direction of the toilets. Aya went down a hallway and saw an empty classroom. She went in, switched off the lights, and started dialing L.

He answered on the second ring.

"Are you alright after all of that?" L asked, muting the microphone feed on his laptop.

"Not really. I was so nervous! I hope he didn't suspect anything."

"Well, I couldn't see you of course, but your voice sounded convincing enough."

"I kept blushing and I thought I would have a heart attack. I can't believe that happened! I'm worried about studying with him. Yagami-san will probably ask me a lot of questions."

"Yeah. I'm sure that he will."

"Thank god the student directory doesn't have pictures. What if he follows me home though?" she asked frantically.

"Aya, calm down. Wait about twenty minutes and take the back exit out of the building. I don't think he would follow you. He's probably only slightly suspicious right now. It's the study date where he really plans to test you."

L's soft voice had a relaxing effect on her. She let out a breath and then said, "I'm not going then. I'll cancel. I'll tell him that my boyfriend isn't okay with it."

"Yeah that was quick thinking on your part. Lying about a boyfriend makes you appear a lot less vulnerable to him."

"How do you know it was a lie? Is it so hard to believe that I could have a boyfriend?" Aya asked defensively.

"No, that's not what I meant. I just assumed you didn't have one. A girl in love wouldn't offer to do something like this for a stranger," L explained.

"I don't know about that," Aya replied. "I think I'd still want to."

"Well you might, but I doubt your boyfriend would be okay with it."

"Who says I'd tell him? I did sign a privacy statement. I know how to keep a secret," Aya pointed out.

"I'm glad to hear it because I'm counting on your confidentiality."

"I know that." She paused for a moment and then asked, "Do you think Yagami-san sat next to me in case I had a hidden camera?"

Aya could hear him chewing something crunchy and her stomach growled in response. _*Why is he always eating things when he's talking on the phone with me?*_

"Yes, Raito would have taken that into consideration. That's part of the reason I asked you not to wear it. But I think sitting next to you was just his way of seeing how you would react. You handled the pressure well though," he told her.

"I tried, but he knows something is up. What are you eating anyway?"

"Peanut M&M's," L replied. "He doesn't know, he only suspects. Don't worry about him. He's not going to do anything to you, especially if he thinks you're working for me. The alias also protects you."

"I guess you're right." She sighed. "I wish I had some M&M's right now," she said in a sulky tone.

He made a noise that sounded like a laugh. "Go buy some."

"Maybe I will once I can leave this stupid classroom. I better go. Hearing you eat is only making me hungrier."

"Sorry," L apologized, although he didn't really mean it. He was amused at how she went from frantic to grumpy all because of food.

"I'll talk to you later, Ryuuzaki-san."

"Okay. Be safe on your way home," he told her.

"I will. Bye."

L ended the call and turned the volume back up on the microphone. He could hear Aya breathing. *_She's still nervous. It's too bad I don't have a camera on her face. That would tell me all I needed to know_.* L touched his lip and continued to analyze the situation.

_*Aya's shown that she can lie quite easily and quickly when under pressure… I think I've been underestimating her. It's very possible that she's been lying to me this whole time. What I've taken for sincerity could simply be an act. Could she be a sociopath like Raito?* _L chewed on his nail, trying to make sense of everything. His thoughts continued to go around in circles for almost ten minutes. L's concentration was broken only when the sound on his laptop went dead. Aya had turned off the microphone.

* * *

Aya was watching the news the following night and she could hardly believe what she was seeing. Sakura TV was broadcasting a message from Kira. She flipped the channel and saw a dead newscaster. Then Kira announced another would be killed for good measure. Aya pressed the remote again and saw a man dying on TV. She placed her hand over her mouth in horror. *_He's killing people just because they spoke against him? Why do that now?*_

Kira announced that law enforcement had four days to decide if they were going to aid him in killing criminals.

She was about to call L when she saw a man running towards the front doors of the station, banging on the glass. A moment later he fell down in a heap, clutching his chest.

"Oh my god!" *_How does Kira even know his name?*_

Minutes passed and a van smashed through the front doors of the TV station. Police started arriving on the scene and two more officers collapsed. Five deaths within fifteen or twenty minutes. There was no hesitation, it was instantaneous.*_What the hell is going on?*_

* * *

L did not think it was the work of Raito Yagami. He deduced that the real Kira would never pull a media stunt and kill innocent people. To make things even worse, the second Kira was even more powerful: they could kill on sight.

He talked things over with his team and they came up with a new plan. Eventually L was able to excuse himself and call Aya.

"I've decided to ask Raito to help in the investigation," he told her.

"What?! Why?"

"For two reasons. One, it will take the heat off of you and give Raito a false sense of security that I don't suspect him. And two, he can help me catch this other Kira."

"We finally have evidence on Yagami-san and now this other person shows up to ruin our plans. It seems strange to me," Aya commented.

"I agree, it's perfect timing for Raito. I don't think he would find someone to act as Kira though. He's not the type to share the spotlight with anyone else."

"That's true. Do you think this second Kira is psychic?"

"Something like that. Listen, I have to go now. One of my men was killed today outside the TV station so things are a bit crazy at the moment. I'll call you with an update in the next few days."

* * *

Days passed and L asked Raito to "pretend" to be Kira and send a message to the imposter over the television in order to gain some control over the situation. Raito denounced the murders at Sakura TV and requested that the second Kira stop killing innocent people since it went against his beliefs.

When Aya heard the second Kira's response, she thought the imposter could be female. She messaged her thoughts to L.

He responded: **I know. We have physical evidence on the tapes and envelopes that leads me to that same conclusion. Lets meet on Tuesday morning and I'll fill you in.**

* * *

Aya spent Monday studying for her anthropology exam. She went to bed early and set her alarm for 7 AM. L's team would be showing up at the hotel before noon and she had to be gone by that time.

Aya arrived just before 9. Watari opened the door for her and she bowed politely to him.

"He's just in the next room."

Aya went down a short hallway and saw L crouched on a chair. His back was to her and he seemed to be staring at a blue television screen.

"Ryuuzaki-san?"

He turned around, a bowl of ice cream in his hand.

"Nice breakfast," she said with a smirk.

"Do you want some too?"

"No, I already ate and it's a bit too early to have sweets anyway." Aya sat in the armchair beside him.

"Not for me it isn't." He licked some chocolate syrup off his spoon. "So what made you think the second Kira is female?"

"The way they spoke was very submissive and childish, full of admiration. A man wouldn't speak that way, though a young boy might," she added.

He smiled at her. "You have good instincts."

"Thank you." She felt a little overwhelmed at being complimented by him.

He turned back to the TV screen, switched it on, and pressed play.

The voice said: 'I think Kira-san still doesn't have the eyes, but don't worry! I won't kill Kira-san no matter what.'

L hit pause. "What do you think of that?"

After a moment, she said, "It sounds like she's referencing her ability to kill just by looking at someone. Maybe the name appears in her mind? But what does she mean that Kira still doesn't have the eyes?"

"That's what I wondered too. And by saying 'still,' it makes it seem like Raito has a choice, that he can get these 'eyes' at any time." L placed the bowl down on the table. "This part is the most worrying to me." He raised the volume up.

The imposter said: 'When we meet, we can just confirm each other's identity with our shinigami.'

Aya frowned, deep in thought "Do you think it's possible that shinigami are giving both Kira's their powers?"

"It seems likely, though the idea that shinigami actually exist is terrifying to me," L replied.

"I know. This whole thing is like a nightmare."

"Yeah it is. I wonder when we're going to wake up from it," he said, turning the TV off.

* * *

L decided to have Mogi follow Raito. He wanted to see if Aya had any contact with him outside of class. He also needed to know who else Raito was meeting. L debated with himself whether or not Aya should be followed as well. In the end he dismissed it. *_If she discovers that I suspect her, everything could be ruined. I'm already monitoring her email addresses, phone records, and I have a surveillance camera watching the outside of her house. That should be enough for now.*_

* * *

**A/N: Please readers don't be shy, I want to hear from you! Are you enjoying the story? And what do you think of Aya… are you suspicious of her the way L is? ********If you have any questions for me, just ask and I'll answer them in my next author's note ^.^ **This chapter is my shortest so far, but 4 will be longer (and there will be a bit of romance in it too;) I'll have another update in a few days!  



	4. Date

**Chapter 4: Date**

**May**

Weeks passed and Sakura TV received another tape from the second Kira. This one was a list of old diary entries that were meant to be clues. L zeroed in on the 22nd and 30th of May as the days the imposter would try to make contact with Kira. Raito volunteered to go to Aoyama on the 22nd with Matsuda in order to investigate any suspicious activity.

Mogi had been taking pictures of all the people that Raito was hanging around with. L went through them, but Aya's face wasn't among the many girls. He was pleased about that, but he still couldn't completely rule her out as an accomplice.

Aya continued to carry a microphone to class and L got to listen to her occasional small talk with Raito.

"He's back to sitting in front of me, which is a relief," Aya told him over the phone. "It must have injured his pride when I turned down our study date."

Raito had also stopped writing names in class and there were no reported deaths of criminals during that time slot. Not that it mattered. L had all the information that he needed.

* * *

May 22nd came and went. L had to review the street surveillance tapes of Aoyama. He had each member take a stack and get started.

"Look for a woman who seems to be paying attention to Raito."

"How would she know he was Kira though?" Matsuda asked.

"She mentioned 'eyes' and 'shinigami' in the video message. It could be a kind of code. Did Raito wear anything out of the ordinary?"

"Not that I can remember," Matsuda replied.

"And no strangers approached Raito?" L asked.

"No and I was with him the whole time. We were both looking around, but I didn't see anyone that stood out. And if he saw anything, he didn't mention it."

"Then the only explanation is a supernatural one. The imposter can look at someone and kill them instantly, so maybe she can use these psychic powers to find the real Kira too."

"Are you sure that Raito-kun is Kira?" Aizawa asked.

"Yes, I'm very confident that he is. That's why Mogi has been following him."

"I don't like how you accuse my son of being Kira without explaining why," Chief Yagami said angrily.

L fidgeted in his chair. "I'm sorry, but it would be detrimental to the investigation if I told you. I'm asking all of you to trust my judgment for the time being."

L couldn't tell them everything yet. He had to wait until the second Kira was caught. *_If Raito is seen with her, it would make the case against him that much stronger…_ _the visual evidence from the undercover video, plus Raito's link with the second Kira might be enough to convict him.* _That's what L was hoping for anyway.

* * *

They stayed up all night watching the tapes with the help of a lot of coffee, and in L's case, sweets. Raito and Matsuda made appearances on the surveillance cameras a total of twenty-nine times. Nobody had followed them or stared in an obvious manner. L sighed. *_I hate wasting time like this.* _His team was cranky and tired from lack of sleep.

"Thank you for your hard work. All of you go home and get some rest. Come back tomorrow afternoon."

They all shuffled out, eyes bloodshot. L looked at the clock. It was almost 7 AM. He felt tired too, so he shut off the lights and collapsed on the couch.

* * *

L woke up just before noon. He staggered to the bathroom, brushed his teeth, and took a hot shower. He decided to take advantage of his free day and invite Aya over. It had been almost a month since their last face to face meeting. L put on a white hotel robe and then used his hand to wipe off the steamed up mirror. He combed through his hair. It had gotten even longer than usual and was now hitting his collarbone when wet. L liked his hair to look messy, but this was beyond that. Watari usually trimmed his hair, but he was out at the moment. L decided to call down to the front desk and make an appointment at the hotel's salon.

He got dressed in his room. L only owned jeans and white shirts; some of them were multiples, but others were slightly different. He had been wearing the same combination of clothes since childhood. At first it was because he had nothing else to wear, then it turned into part of his daily routine. Being in control of his world was very important to him. Some people even considered him to have obsessive compulsive tendencies. L didn't like such labels though and he rarely gave his "eccentricities" much of a thought.

He had three donuts, a bowl of strawberries, and two cups of coffee for breakfast. Once he had finished eating, L sent Aya a text message asking if she could come by to hang out. A few minutes later she replied: **I can come after class- I get out at 2:15. **He sent her the new hotel address and then went downstairs to have his hair trimmed. L kept a close eye on the stylist, but she knew how to create the choppy silhouette that he liked. She used the blow dryer and then put some kind of paste in his hair to muss it up and keep it in place. He was so satisfied with the result that he bought the hair product.

L lounged around and waited for Aya. She arrived shortly before 4 PM.

"Hi Ryuuzaki-san, it's good to see you."

She was wearing a short sleeve, dark blue dress with small white polka dots on it. Her long hair was pulled into a loose braid that fell across one shoulder and L noticed her earrings, which were star-shaped and sparkled whenever she moved her head. He thought she looked very nice and he told her so.

"Thanks. You look nice too. Did you get your hair cut?"

"Yeah, just before you arrived actually," he replied.

"I like it."

L's eyes widened. "No one has ever complimented me on my appearance before."

Aya smiled. "We all need compliments sometimes, don't you think?"

"I suppose," he said hesitantly.

They sat down on the couch and caught up on the past month. L listened as she told him about Raito's many girlfriends. He pretended not to be aware of this in case she was fishing for information on whether or not Raito was being followed. L told her about Aoyama and how it was possible that the imposter had confirmed Kira's identity.

"You think it has to do with her psychic ability?" she asked.

"I was thinking more along the lines of the shinigami. For all I know, people who work with shinigami could look differently than other people."

"Oh yeah, good idea. They could have a certain aura surrounding them for example."

They chatted a few more minutes about the case before L turned on the TV and started flipping channels to find a movie.

"Stop on this one. 'The Shining' is really creepy," Aya told him.

"I've never seen it. So it's a horror movie?" he asked, pausing the program.

"Yeah, psychological horror I guess you could call it."

"Are there demons?"

"No, it's about ghosts and psychic mediums," Aya explained.

"As long as it doesn't have to do with demon possession then I'm okay with it," L said and relaxed his hands on his knees.

Aya looked at him curiously. "I'm a little surprised that you're scared of those kinds of things, Ryuuzaki-san. So what happened to cause such a phobia?"

"I saw 'The Exorcist' when I was a kid and it really scared me. That's when my insomnia started. I would force myself to stay up until the sun rose." He smirked at his foolishness. "I guess I figured a demon wouldn't hurt me as long as it was light outside."

"My god, that's horrible! That must have been so traumatic for a little boy to go through." Aya touched his arm briefly out of sympathy. "It is rather terrifying to think of being possessed and having no control over your mind or body."

He glanced down at his arm. Aya had moved her hand, but L could still feel the touch of her fingers. When he looked at her again, the concern in her warm brown eyes made him want to say more.

"That's my greatest fear. My mind is the most important thing to me. The idea that it could be taken away disturbs me immensely." L chewed on his thumbnail. "I used to be able to dismiss monsters as something illogical, but I can't do that anymore. If shinigami exist, then demons could exist too."

Aya bit her lip. "Well I guess they could, but don't worry about that now. It's better to focus on one monster at a time."

L got up from the couch and gave her an embarrassed smile. "I don't know why I just told you that. You probably think I'm crazy."

"No I don't," she replied, shaking her head. "We all have fears."

He shoved his hands in his pockets. "What's your fear?"

She looked down at her lap. "That something bad will happen to my family."

"Because you're working on this case?"

Aya met his eyes. "No, I've always been scared of this happening. I had a friend who lost both of her parents in a car crash. That's probably why."

"I wish I had your fear. It seems better to worry about other people as opposed to worrying only about yourself. Hold on a minute and I'll get some snacks for us."

He went into the kitchenette and brought back caramel corn, chocolate covered pretzels, and a bag of jellybeans. He set them down on the table and asked, "What do you want to drink? We have Sprite or Dr. Pepper."

"Sprite please." Aya got up from the couch. "But I can come and help you."

She followed behind him. L bent over to open the small fridge and pulled out a few cans which he placed on the counter.

"Now where are those damn straws…" he trailed off as he searched through the cupboards. L found them after a minute, hidden behind some cereal. "Found them!" He handed the box of neon straws to Aya and said, "Pick a color."

She chose a blue one. L pulled out a green straw and stuck it in his mouth. He carried two cans of Dr. Pepper for himself, but Aya only took one can of Sprite. She didn't like soda very much.

They went back into the other room and sat down on the couch. L placed the food on a tray between them so they could share more easily. Once they were situated comfortably, L started the movie.

Aya ate a handful of chocolate pretzels before moving onto the caramel corn. "This stuff is so good. I haven't eaten like this in years," she admitted.

They put their hands into the tin at the same time and brushed fingers. Both Aya and L felt a little charge run through their bodies at the accidental touch.

"Sorry," they muttered at the same time. Their synchronization caused them to laugh, breaking the awkward tension.

Aya became full quickly, but L kept eating with eyes glued to the screen. She stole a glance at him during the hallway scene with Danny. L was chewing his straw as he stared wide-eyed at the bloody twins. His reactions were more fun than the movie. He visibly jumped when Jack was in the room with the corpse, which caused him to spill some jelly beans onto the floor.

L turned to Aya after the famous 'red rum' scene and said, "This movie is incredibly messed up."

She laughed. "I completely agree."

He was biting his thumb when Jack broke down the door with an ax. "That guy is a complete nutter," L declared. He turned to Aya worriedly. "Does he kill Wendy? Because if he kills Wendy, then I don't want to see it."

"Just keep watching," she urged, poking him in the arm so that he would turn back towards the screen.

L was on edge for the rest of the movie and Aya noticed that he was clutching his jeans nervously.

"Oh he's had it now!" L said excitedly as Jack stumbled around the maze, bellowing nonsensically.

Aya and L both cheered when they showed him frozen in the snow.

"That was intense," L announced when the credits began to roll. "The camera angles, the music, the acting… everything was terrifying."

"Yeah, I think it's one of the scariest horror films I've ever seen. I had nightmares when I first saw it."

They got up and stretched. L's back cracked as he reached his arms up to the ceiling. His shirt rose, exposing his bellybutton.

"I can see why. I hope I don't end up having any. If I do, I'm going to blame you."

"But you said ghosts were fine!" she exclaimed, looking worried.

He smirked. "I'm kidding. I never remember my dreams anyway."

"Really?" Aya drew her eyebrows together. "I think I read somewhere that not remembering your dreams could be linked to a vitamin deficiency."

"Hmm, interesting. You've seen the way I eat, so it wouldn't surprise me. I don't take vitamins or anything."

"You really should you know."

"Are you going to turn into my doctor?" he joked.

"Maybe," she replied with a smile. "They have those chewy vitamins for kids that taste like candy. I bet you'd like those." Aya looked towards the window and noticed the changing light. "Do you want to go outside before it gets too dark?"

"Sure. There's an outdoor area in the courtyard."

They took the elevator down and walked through the lobby. Glass doors led out into a large enclosed area. One side was paved and café tables were set up. There were quite a few people sitting at them, drinking coffee. The other side had manicured grass, trees, flowering plants, and a small pond with koi fish.

"This is nice," Aya commented as they walked into the garden area.

L had his hands in his pockets. It was a perfect opportunity for Aya. She slipped her arm through his. He looked at her with his big eyes.

"You don't mind, do you?"

"No." But he did mind. L knew they probably looked like a couple. He was even starting to feel like they were one. _*That isn't good considering my doubts about her,* _he thought, avoiding her eyes.

"I had a lot of fun watching the movie with you."

"Yeah, it was fun," L replied truthfully. He saw a bench underneath a maple tree. "Do you want to sit down over there?"

"Sure." She unlinked her arm and sat down. L was ready to pull his legs up when Aya stopped him with her comment.

"I've always wondered why you sit that way. Is there a reason behind it?"

"It helps my reasoning skills."

She smiled. "But you don't need to think now."

*_Yes I do. I need to keep my head when I'm around you.* _But that wasn't how L responded. "I guess you're right." Feet now on the ground, L slumped forward and rested his hands on his knees. He felt helplessly uncomfortable.

Aya could see how shy he had become since she took his arm. "What are some of your favorite movies?" she asked, trying to distract him.

He glanced at her. "I don't watch many movies really, but I guess I'm a fan of Alfred Hitchcock."

"I've only seen 'Rear Window' and 'Psycho,' but I liked them a lot."

"All his films are good, but I think 'Rear Window' is the best one he made," L said, starting to relax a bit.

They talked about movies for a little while longer before L's phone beeped. He checked it and saw a message from Watari.

"Watari wants to know where I am," he told her.

"He's kind of like a father to you, isn't he?" Aya asked.

"Yeah. I've known him for most of my life."

"It's nice you have somebody like that to take care of you. Did you have any friends at the orphanage?"

"No. I received special tutoring so I wasn't around the other kids very much. I competed in sports with them though. I was best at tennis."

"I like watching tennis a lot, but I've never played," she admitted.

"I can teach you once this case is over," L offered, without considering that she might be caught along with Raito.

"I'll look forward to it. Thank you, Ryuuzaki-san."

L looked away from her sweet expression and pulled his legs onto the bench. *_Why is she affecting me so much? Is it possible that I might actually like her?* _He quickly dismissed the idea. _*No, it's because I'm never around girls. I'm just not used to it,* _L reasoned.

* * *

They had dinner at the hotel restaurant and finished eating by 8 PM.

"I'll have Watari take you home."

"Will you ride with me in the car?" She was looking at him imploringly and he almost gave in and said yes.

"Actually, I don't do so well in cars after I eat," he lied. "The motion makes me nauseated."

"Then you'd better not. I wouldn't want you to get sick."

He sent a text message to Watari and they waited in the lobby for him.

"Give me a few minutes to get the car, Ryuuzaki. I'll pull up in front," he said before disappearing out the front doors.

After a moment, Aya turned to him. "Thanks for today. I had a really nice time."

"Oh it was no problem. I'm glad you enjoyed yourself," he replied.

She looked a bit disappointed at his response. L realized that he said the wrong thing and added, "I've never hung out with anyone like this before, so allow me to apologize for my awkwardness."

"Is this your first date?" Aya asked with a smile.

L's eyes widened. "Date? Well, if you want to put it that way, then yes, I suppose it is," he rambled.

The car pulled up and L walked her outside.

"Lets see each other soon, okay? I don't want another month to go by without meeting you," she said before opening the door.

"I'll do my best."

Aya slid into the car and L closed the door behind her. She rolled down the window to say goodbye.

"Goodnight, Aya. I'll talk to you soon," he said.

She waved to him and L raised up his hand as they drove away. He felt a strange mixture of emotions as he walked back into the hotel. If he had to describe what he was feeling, L would call it 'satisfied anxiety'… satisfaction because he had enjoyed himself and anxiety because he had shown vulnerability. _*I shouldn't have told her about the demon thing. I completely dropped my guard because she made me feel comfortable. I haven't even cleared her of suspicion, so why did I act that way?* _

L pressed the button for the elevator. Half a minute went by before the doors opened to reveal a foreign couple with their arms around each other. They both gave him a friendly hello before walking past him. L stepped inside the elevator. Before the doors closed, he saw the woman lean in to kiss her husband on the cheek. He couldn't help but feel a bit envious of them. _*Did I behave that way towards Aya because I'm lonely?* _L leaned against the wall and let out a sigh. He was disappointed with himself. _*I shouldn't be so weak.*_

* * *

When Aya let herself in and walked past the living room, she saw that her sister was inside with the TV on. Hana was wearing floral pajama shorts and a matching top. Her long legs were propped up on the coffee table so that she could paint her toenails.

Hana looked up and smiled at her. "How was your date?"

"It was good," Aya replied, walking in the room and sinking into her favorite armchair.

"Yeah? That's all you're going to say? I want some details here," she said, turning her attention back to her pedicure.

"We watched 'The Shining' and then we had dinner at a restaurant."

Hana laughed. "'The Shining?' That's not a date movie."

"Well he liked it. It was funny to see all of his expressions at the scary parts."

"And what does this guy look like again? Is he hot?"

For Hana, looks were extremely important. A man had to be fashionable, good looking, and tall to be considered boyfriend material. Hana used to model in high school and college, which partly explained her desire to date only those who could match her in appearance.

"He isn't your type at all," Aya told her, "but I think there's something attractive about him."

Hana tucked a strand of her golden brown hair behind her ear. "Such as?"

"Well for one thing, he's very intelligent."

"I'm not talking about his personality," she said in a bored tone. "I want to know what you like about his looks."

Sometimes it really annoyed her how shallow Hana could be.

"His lips and the way he speaks. He has nice hands too," Aya replied.

Hana smiled mischievously. "Lips, huh? Did you kiss him?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because he's shy."

"Shy? My god, are we talking about a virgin here?" Hana started to laugh.

Aya looked around nervously. "Shhh, what if mum hears you?"

"Don't worry. She's reading upstairs in her room. Come sit over here on the couch if you're too nervous to raise your voice."

When Aya was sitting next to Hana, she said, "He probably is, but that doesn't matter. It's not like I have any experience in that area either."

"Ah, so cute, two virgins," Hana said with a grin. "How nostalgic. Reminds me of my first time with the student council president."

"Yeah I don't need to hear about that again." Aya got up from the couch, feeling irritated.

"You're no fun, Aya-chan," Hana pouted.

She went to get her purse off the armchair. "You've probably told me about it five times already. I'm going upstairs to take a shower."

Aya had been feeling happy about the date until Hana brought up the kissing thing. Now she wondered if Ryuuzaki even liked her at all. _*He was practically freaking out when I held onto his arm. Maybe I'm just wasting my time.*_

She opened her bedroom door and hung her purse off one of her dresser knobs. Clothes were still thrown on top of her bed from earlier when she was getting ready for her date. Aya looked down at her dress._ *He did say I looked nice though, so I'm not going to give up just yet.*_

She rummaged around in the clean laundry basket to find some pajamas. Most of the time, Aya was too lazy to fold her clothes and put them away. Her life at school was so orderly and disciplined that she had no energy to keep her home life organized as well. Aya's friends had always been shocked when they saw her room for the first time. "Wow, so you're actually a slob. How scary! I would never guess that by looking at you," they would say. Aya wasn't sure if it was a cultural difference, but she didn't find her behavior that strange. _*After all, doesn't everyone have a hidden side that they don't show to people unless they trust them?*_

Aya believed that everyone was acting a role. This was a sad, but necessary fact for survival in a superficial world. _*I wonder what Ryuuzaki would think if he knew about the real me? He doesn't seem the type who would be disgusted considering his rejection and alienation from society… unlike Raito Yagami, who is doing all he can to fit in and deceive others.* _It struck her then how fundamentally different they were from each other. As she ran the shower, Aya wondered which one of them was going to win.

* * *

**A/N: I had a lot of fun with this chapter! We get a bit more insight into Aya and L which I hope you enjoyed :D I used creative license to come up with the reason for L's insomnia. When I saw that scene of L falling off the chair in terror at the mention of shinigami, I instantly thought that he could have had some kind of childhood trauma having to do with the supernatural. **

**I've never actually seen 'The Exorcist' (because I'm a wimp lol), but 'The Exorcism of Emily Rose' scared me so much that I didn't sleep well for months afterwards O_O By the way- if you haven't seen this, please don't because it might scar you for life! Since L's the type of person who likes to be in control, I thought that demon possession or losing his mind would be one of his fears.**

**In regards to Alfred Hitchcock, my idea is that Watari introduced these films to L. I chose 'The Shining' for them to watch because I could clearly picture L's reactions to certain scenes. It's a great movie if you're in the mood for something intense (but don't watch it if blood bothers you)**

**So what do you think of L showing a vulnerable side? Was it believable to you?**


	5. Capture

**Chapter 5: Capture**

**Late May-early June**

Construction on a skyscraper that L commissioned a few weeks after arriving in Tokyo was finally completed. It would make their investigation much easier and save them the trouble of switching hotels every week. L informed his team that they would finally have their own secure headquarters to work from.

"Wow! That must have cost a lot of money," Matsuda said in awe as he looked at a picture of the building on L's laptop.

"When are we going there?" Aizawa asked.

"Tomorrow. I'll give everyone the address at the end of the day."

* * *

L was sitting in a computer chair in the large main room at headquarters. There were no windows, but L didn't mind. He preferred darkness and artificial light in his work environment because it helped him to concentrate. At the moment, however, L had nothing to do so there was no reason for him to be thinking deeply about anything in particular. He was eating peanut butter cups and surfing the internet when his phone rang. He licked his fingers before picking up.

"Hello?" he asked thickly, his mouth full of food.

"Ryuuzaki-san, I saw a new girl show up outside of Raito's house last night. She was blonde," Mogi said.

"Blonde?" L asked, popping another chocolate into his mouth.

"Yes and she was dressed in Goth Lolita fashion. She's nothing like the other girls that Raito usually goes out with."

"Mogi-san, how do you know what 'Goth Lolita' is? Could it be that you're into fashion?"

"No, I am not into fashion," Mogi replied with an aggrieved tone.

"It's perfectly alright if you are. I myself have looked at girls fashion magazines from time to time. There's nothing to be embarrassed about," L said casually.

"Ryuuzaki-san, please be serious."

L stopped eating and licked his fingers. "Mogi-san, I am always serious."

"If you say so." Mogi sighed. "What do you want me to do about this development?"

"Follow her and see where she goes. I'll need a picture of her too, preferably one of her and Raito together."

"Sure thing. I would have gotten one last night but it was too dark outside."

"Not a problem, I'm sure you'll see them together again. Thanks, Mogi-san," he said and hung up the phone.

_*It's got to be her. I knew the second Kira would contact him!* _L spun around happily in his chair. *_We have to find out who this girl is so we can have her house searched. If the physical evidence we found on the envelopes and tapes match, she'll be arrested by the end of the week.* _L allowed himself to smile.

* * *

Two days later, L received a picture mail. He recognized her face instantly. It was Misa-Misa, a popular idol who L had seen on TV and in magazines. He pulled up her biography online to get her full name. *_Lucky for us that the second Kira is someone famous._ _It couldn't have worked out more perfectly.*_

"Checkmate," L said, biting the head off his animal cracker.

* * *

The search warrant was issued that same day. L sent Mogi, Aizawa, and Matsuda to collect evidence from Misa Amane's house. They were specifically looking for makeup, clothing fibers, and cat hair. He also told them to confiscate any school notebooks or loose pages of paper with names on them.

"Names?" Aizawa asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes," L replied as he peeled a banana. "She may have been making notes regarding the victims she killed. Bring everything back here and we'll go over it in the lab." He took a bite. "Except the cat of course. Just collect some hair from it."

A few members of the task force laughed.

"Misa Amane won't be there," L continued. "I checked and she has a shoot today until 7 PM."

The three men exited the room, leaving L alone with Chief Yagami.

"Things aren't looking good for my son, are they?" he asked, standing beside L, who was staring up at the big screen TV. The news was reporting more deaths.

"No, I'm sorry," he replied without looking at him.

"I know he's been a suspect for a while, but I never wanted to believe that Raito was capable of this." He waved his hand towards the TV.

"Everyone is capable of murder." L drained the rest of his coffee and turned towards Chief Yagami. "The power your son received was ultimately too tempting for him. I do think he started off with good intentions, but killing corrupts a person. Maybe he didn't expect that."

He frowned. "Until you have evidence, Ryuuzaki, I will not think of my son as Kira."

"I understand. However, you need to prepare yourself for that evidence." He looked into the older man's eyes. "Do you want to be taken off the case?"

"No, that isn't necessary. I will do my best to stop Kira, even if it turns out to be Raito."

L gave him a little smile. "Thank you for your dedication to justice, Yagami-san. It's very admirable."

* * *

Matsuda, Aizawa, and Mogi came back with bags of evidence. A forensics lab with microscopes was set up on one of the bottom floors of headquarters. The fibers found were black cotton, so they had brought only black clothing or those containing black as an accent color. They matched the fiber to a black and white striped shirt. Aizawa put it in a large evidence bag and wrote on the outside of it with a marker. Matsuda and Mogi quickly determined that the cat hair and makeup were a match too. Misa Amane had definitely sent the tapes to the studio.

Matsuda shook his head in disbelief as he looked at the evidence bags on the table. "I can't believe that cute girl is the second Kira."

"It's always the ones that you least expect," Aizawa replied.

"She must have snapped once she lost her family. It's almost understandable."

L had been quiet in the computer chair throughout the whole process, but now he broke into the conversation. "Yes Matsuda-san, it's understandable that her family's murder caused emotional trauma, but killing innocent people is not the usual reaction."

"That's true. I would say that she's even worse than Kira since there was no hesitation." Aizawa sat down on one of the lime green sofas.

"Their motivations are certainly different. Kira has a twisted belief that he kills in the name of justice, while the imposter only killed for attention. Now that I know Misa Amane's background, she probably wanted to meet the real Kira to thank him for executing the man who murdered her family. A completely selfish reason," L said.

"Of course I think she was wrong, nothing excuses what she did, but I can't help but feel sorry for her. She wouldn't have done this if her family were still alive."

"Matsuda, would you grow up? Your bias works against you as an investigator. You want to feel sorry for someone, feel sorry for the people she murdered, for their families! She's no different than the guy who murdered her parents and brother. Just like Kira is no different from the criminals he kills. They're both hypocrites with inflated egos!" Aizawa yelled angrily.

"Matsuda-san, I know that you're a sensitive man, but do not let her tragic past or pretty face cloud your judgment." L got up and stretched. "Good work today everyone. I'll have Watari call in to get the arrest warrant."

* * *

L decided to visit the university. He wanted to be the one to tell Raito in person that Misa Amane was arrested for being the Second Kira. He could already picture the look on Raito's face. L smirked and took a lollipop out of his pocket. He examined the wrapper (it was watermelon flavored) and put it in his mouth.

He waited outside the building Raito was in. L had found out his class schedule months ago. To pass the time, he read 'Nightwatch' by Sergei Lukyanenko. L was reading Maxim's self delusion that he was the only one who could stop evil. *_This character is just like Raito… same narcissism, same belief that what they're doing is for the best. They don't understand that they're the same as the people they kill, that their hatred has turned them into the ones they punish,* _he mused, staring off into the distance.

The clock bell chimed 1 PM and L saw students filing out of the front doors. Raito would be among them. He spotted him with one of his "girlfriends" and waved to get his attention.

"Why are you here? I thought you told me it was dangerous for you to show your face in public?" Raito asked once he said goodbye to the girl.

L took the lollipop out of his mouth and replied, "You're the only one who knows my identity, so if I die, that makes it easy to determine who killed me. All my team members have already been informed of this fact, not to mention that the other L's will be after you too." He looked up at Raito. "Have I told you that before? That L is a group of intelligent people like me?"

Raito tried to keep his face expressionless, but L saw his jaw twitch.

L crunched down on the candy and threw the stick in a waste basket. "So, you want to get some cake? You don't have a class now, do you?" He asked, slipping his sneakers on.

"No, not for a half hour."

They had just started walking when they heard a high pitched voice calling out from behind them.

"Raito!"

L turned around and saw Misa Amane waving as she trotted up to them. His eyes opened in surprise. He had not been expecting her to show up. *_Mogi and the others must be around here somewhere, lying in wait to arrest her.* _This complicated his plans though. *_If Misa can see someone's real name by looking at them, then I'm in trouble. Why hadn't I considered this possibility before?* _L had been too caught up with his childish pride and he suddenly felt very stupid.

Misa looked at him and asked if he was Raito's friend.

"I'm his classmate, Hideki Ryuuga." Now that he was faced with this situation, he had to see how Misa would react to the fake name.

"Hideki Ryuuga?" She looked confused and was about to say something else when Raito stopped her, putting his hands on her shoulders.

"Yes, like the idol. Isn't that funny?"

Misa looked over at L again, but instead of meeting his eyes, she seemed to be looking above his head. L put his finger in his mouth. *_Does the name visibly appear for her?* _He had thought she would see a flash in her mind of his name, but her behavior proved otherwise.

L distracted her with a compliment, hoping she would forget about what she saw. It wasn't long before students recognized Misa and started gathering around excitedly. L grabbed the phone out of her purse in the confusion. He knew that Raito would call her to find out his real name and he couldn't let that happen.

Misa said goodbye a few minutes later. The plan to get cake was abandoned. Raito only had ten minutes until his psychology class, which also turned out to be L's psychology class that he had never once attended.

"Ready to go?" L asked him, getting out another lollipop. This one was pineapple flavored.

"You go on ahead. I have to use the restroom."

Raito hadn't even waited until L was out of sight before calling Misa. L pulled the phone from his pocket by the strap and held it in front of his face, smiling.

"Hello?" He sounded muffled because of the candy in his mouth. "Hello?" he asked again.

"Why are you answering Misa's phone?" Raito asked, sounding annoyed.

"Oh, is this hers? I found it on the ground earlier." L turned around and looked at Raito.

He ended the call and walked towards L, his hand outstretched. "I'll give it back to Misa later."

L dangled it in front of him and Raito took it.

"You must really care about her to call only minutes after saying goodbye. I didn't expect such sentimental behavior from you."

"I forgot to tell her something, that's all," he said coldly.

L's mobile rang and he dug in his pocket for it. He took the lollipop out of his mouth and answered.

"It's done? Excellent." L hung up and turned to Raito. "You might be interested to know that Misa Amane has been arrested on suspicion of being the second Kira."

Raito looked visibly shocked. It was an even better expression than L had imagined. He explained about the evidence they found and informed Raito that Misa's arrest would not be broadcast to the public. Raito's glare was a deadly one. It was a good thing he couldn't kill by looking at someone, or L would be on the ground by now.

* * *

L was riding in the car on his way back to headquarters when he called up Mogi and told him to keep following Raito.

"There's a high possibility that he will be on the lookout for someone now that Misa has been arrested. Be careful. If he notices you, then it's time to leave. I don't want to lose another team member."

"Understood. I'll be careful," Mogi replied.

* * *

L was staring at the TV screen. Misa Amane was tied up and blindfolded on a floor above them.

He clicked on his microphone and said to Watari, "We have to get a confession from her. Please do everything you can to get her to talk. Even torture if you have to."

"Torture? This isn't ethical, Ryuuzaki!" Chief Yagami exclaimed.

"We have evidence. Is it really necessary to go this far?" Aizawa asked.

"Yes. A confession will seal her fate. It will also make a better case if she identifies Raito as Kira."

"I don't think that's going to happen. She worships Kira," Matsuda pointed out.

"We have to be patient. I'm sorry if all of you are uncomfortable with this. I don't like doing it either, but we're so close to solving this case. There is no going back now."

L took a sip of coffee. He frowned and dropped in another sugar cube.

* * *

Days went by and Misa hadn't said anything. She was remarkably tough for such a frail looking girl.

Matsuda asked L why Raito hadn't killed her. "If he was Kira, it would make sense for him to eliminate the only person who could identify him."

"He doesn't have a choice since the media isn't aware of her arrest. Had it been broadcast, Raito could have killed her. He's probably very frustrated right now," L responded.

Misa started begging for death a little while later. She wore herself out with screaming and ended up fainting. When Misa woke up, she seemed disoriented. She called out for her stalker to let her go. L asked her over the intercom if she knew Raito Yagami and she admitted that he was her boyfriend. Misa hadn't said anything regarding him before.

"Why has her personality changed so much?" Aizawa asked in surprise.

L stroked his bottom lip with his thumb. "Why indeed."

* * *

A few days later, Raito left his house at 4 AM. Mogi let him get far ahead before he started following on foot. Luckily Raito walked to a neighborhood park ten minutes away. Had he gotten on the subway at this hour, Mogi knew he would have been seen and L's plans would have been for nothing. He could see that Raito was getting nervous because he kept looking around and behind him. Mogi was far back and he kept in the shadows. The street provided extra coverage with the many automobiles parked alongside the curb.

Raito entered through the park gates. Mogi could still see him with the help of his military binoculars, so he let a few minutes tick by before following. Raito was veering off the path now and heading into some trees. Mogi knew that snapping branches could possibly give him away, so he took off his shoes and hoped that his footfalls would be somewhat muffled.

He switched on his handheld infrared camera and used the zoom to focus in on Raito, who eventually stopped in a small clearing. Mogi moved a few feet closer. He was well out of viewing range; Raito would not be able to see him. It looked like he was talking to somebody and notebooks started floating in midair. Mogi blinked a few times, but the unbelievable image remained. One actually rose up high over the trees and disappeared, as if it were being carried by an invisible entity. Raito continued to talk, but the distance was too great and Mogi couldn't hear what was being said. Eventually he dug a hole, placed the notebook in a metal case, and buried it.

Raito didn't linger in the clearing very long. Mogi shut off the camera when Raito was far enough out of view. He then sent a text message to L, briefly explaining what had happened.

Mogi asked L if he wanted him to dig up the box. L responded: **Not yet. It's possible that it's been left there for someone. We need to mount some cameras in the trees. Send me your location and I will have them brought to you.**

* * *

Raito saved L the trouble of arresting him and offered himself up freely. *_Clearly he wants to be seen as a confused victim… he played that up well in front of his father.*_

L filled Aya in on Misa and Raito's imprisonment. She sounded very excited about it on the phone.

"I'll be busy for a while monitoring them so I won't be able to talk to you very much," he told her.

"That's fine. I have a lot of exams coming up and I'll be busy too. Just keep me updated if they confess or anything."

L told her he would and then hung up the phone. Everything was starting to come together now.

* * *

**A/N: This a shorter transition chapter and one of the last ones that will follow canon events. The biggest change I made to the timeline was having the team move into headquarters before imprisoning Misa and Raito. I just felt like this worked better since it gave them a secure location. I also changed it to night when Raito gives the Death Note to Rem (in the anime it looked like very early morning), but this wouldn't work with Mogi following after him. Plus I really wanted to use night vision technology haha. Oh and the university scene with the lollipop is from the second Death Note film. This fic deals with the anime/manga universe, but I couldn't resist adding that in since Kenichi Matsuyama looked so cute in that scene ;)**

**I wanted to quote a passage from 'Nightwatch' by Sergei Lukyanenko that applies very much to L and Kira's battle, but I decided to take it out since I'm not sure if it's legal to do that on here. It's a great supernatural book though, so please look it up if you're interested in learning more about it ^.^**

**And lastly, thank you to everyone who has reviewed and followed my story :D It means the world to me that people are reading this and like it enough to add it to their favorites! Please keep the reviews coming, they really encourage me! My next update will be two chapters since they go together and there will be lots of Aya/L interaction in them :)  
**


	6. Reveal

**Chapter 6: Reveal**

**Mid June**

Almost two weeks went by without a murder. Nobody had gone into the woods to retrieve the notebook. When criminals began dying again, L wondered if Raito had simply planned out deaths in advance. It was time to get the metal box and see if the new batch of victims were written down. If not, that meant they were dealing with yet another Kira. To complicate matters further, both of his suspects had such a radical change in personality that any outsider would have believed they were innocent. It was time for L's next move.

* * *

The doorbell rang just after 1 PM on Saturday at the Takeda residence. Aya was sitting at the kitchen table reading the newspaper when her mother called for her.

"Aya, one of your friends is waiting for you in the hallway."

She looked up from the paper. "What do you mean? I'm not expecting anyone and I look horrible!" she exclaimed, glancing down at her Hello Kitty T-shirt and oversized jersey pants. Her hair was in two braids and she had no makeup on. "Who is it?"

"He introduced himself as Ryuuzaki."

Aya's heart started to pound, but she got up and hurried out to see him. L was standing in his bare feet, looking down wide-eyed as their Himalayan cat, Ciel, wound himself around his legs.

"Hi Ryuuzaki-san! This is a surprise."

L turned his attention to her. "Hello Aya. Sorry I didn't call first."

"That's okay. Please come in," she said, scooping Ciel up in her arms.

Aya's mother hovered in the kitchen doorway, watching the two of them.

"Mum, this is Ryuuzaki. He's in one of my classes," Aya told her in English.

"It's nice to meet one of Aya's school friends," she said and smiled at him.

L noticed the resemblance between mother and daughter. He returned her smile and said in perfect English, "The pleasure is mine, Mrs. Takeda. Please excuse my intrusion."

"We're glad to have you." She turned to Aya and asked, "Shall I make some tea?"

"No, that's alright, mum. We'll be down shortly and I can make it then. Will you take Ciel? Otherwise he may follow us up." She gave him a kiss on the head and transferred him into her mother's arms.

Aya climbed the stairs and L followed. She glanced over her shoulder and said, "I just want to warn you that my room is a bit of a mess right now." Aya gave a nervous laugh. "I'm afraid you're not going to be seeing my best side today. I hope you don't mind," she added.

"I don't. I'm not the tidiest person in the world either. Watari's the one who picks up after me."

"You've got it good. I wish I had my own Watari." Aya opened the door right off the landing and waited for him to walk in before closing it after them.

"Pretty bad, huh? I have zero motivation to clean."

"No, it's not that bad," L said, taking in his surroundings.

It was an average size room with wooden floors and pale blue walls. There was a double bed with a fluffy white comforter thrown back and rumpled, exposing sheets with multicolor butterflies printed on them. The dresser was covered with mail, magazines, CD's, Hello Kitty plushies, and an assortment of boxes that L assumed contained jewelry. There was a desk on the other side of the room near the window. L noticed many textbooks and school notebooks stacked up. Her laptop was closed, revealing a cartoon owl decal to protect it from scratches.

Aya kicked her laundry basket off to the side and closed her closet door, which was half opened. She tried to straighten out her bed while L was busy examining her bookshelf.

"You have a lot of English books," he said, turning back towards Aya. She was sitting on her bed now.

"Yeah, I was born in London. I moved to Japan right before middle school," she told him.

L knew this of course since he had done a background check on her, but he feigned ignorance.

"I grew up in England too. Shall we speak English with each other?"

"Sure, we can if you want to. So do you ever miss England?" she asked, switching over to her first language.

"A little. I guess it was the only home I had. Now I just live in hotel rooms all over the world." L picked up a pink candle in a jar and took off the lid. It smelled sweet like cotton candy and frosting.

"You can sit down, Ryuuzaki-san. I'll make room for you." Aya leaned against her many pillows and folded her legs underneath her body. She motioned for L to sit at the end of the bed so that they could face each other and talk.

"You don't have to call me Ryuuzaki-san you know. It sounds too formal when we're speaking in English."

She raised her eyebrows. "You don't care if I drop the honorific?"

"No. You let me drop it for you so that's only fair. And anyway, we've known each other for a few months now."

Aya liked the way L's voice sounded when he spoke English. She could only pick up a few words that were vaguely British to her ear, making his accent rather hard to place. Aya guessed that this was a result of his traveling around to so many different countries. _*I wonder how many languages he's fluent in.* _She was just about to voice the thought aloud when he sat down on her bed and almost toppled over as he tried to get into his favorite crouching position.

"What's wrong with your mattress? Am I denting it or something?" he asked, looking down and pressing his hand on top of the comforter.

Aya couldn't help but laugh. He looked so comical as he tried to keep his balance.

"It's memory foam," she explained.

"Hmm, I think I've seen it on TV commercials before. Doesn't it look like a giant sponge cake or something?"

"I guess it does. Of course you would remember anything that looked like cake," she said with a smile.

He glanced up at her. "Well that's only natural. Cake is one of my favorite foods after all."

L stared at her and thought, _*so this is what she's really like… not the perfectly put together girl I saw before. Does this mean she's capable of deceit, or are females always like this at home?*_

Aya pushed up her glasses. "So what brings you here? There's nothing wrong, is there?"

"No. I just wanted to see you," he lied.

"Is that so?"

Aya got out a tube of chap stick from her pocket. L watched as she applied it to her lips. His own felt dry and he licked them.

"I'm addicted to this stuff. Do you want to use it?" Aya asked.

He looked surprised at the suggestion. "No. We'd be sharing germs."

"Yeah that would be an indirect kiss, wouldn't it?" she teased.

L's eyes seemed to bug out at the word 'kiss' and she tried not to laugh.

"I think I have an unopened one in my bathroom. Hang on." She went next door and L heard her rummaging in a drawer.

"Here you go," Aya said, holding out a brand new strawberry flavored chap stick for him.

The cap made a popping sound that he liked and it smelled good too. L imitated Aya by sliding it over his top and bottom lip before pressing them together. "Thank you, my lips feel nice now."

She smiled and sat back down on the bed, pulling her legs up to her chest. "No problem. So how are things going at headquarters?"

L's eyes went directly to her socks, which were multicolored stripes. "They're at a standstill right now. Misa and Raito's personalities have changed so much that I don't know what to make of it."

"It must be part of their plan. They want you to feel sorry and let them go."

"I know, but sympathy isn't going to work on me." He looked into her eyes as he delivered his next line. "And now there's either another Kira or they've planned out deaths for weeks, maybe even months in advance. I can only guess since I don't know exactly how their powers work."

"Yeah it's really frustrating not knowing everything. I hope we can discover more soon."

Aya excused herself to use the bathroom a few minutes later. When she returned, L was laying on her bed, his body scrunched up in the fetal position. His eyes were closed and he looked peaceful. Aya headed downstairs so that he could rest.

* * *

She was eating a toasted cheese sandwich at the kitchen table when her mother came in and asked where her friend was.

"Sleeping. He's been working so much lately that he's exhausted."

"He did look over tired," she agreed. "Ryuuzaki is a bit… eccentric, isn't he?"

Aya smiled at her mother's attempt to be tactful. "Yes, but then aren't the most interesting people usually eccentric?"

"Good point." Mrs. Takeda sat down at the table. "Is he your boyfriend?" she asked in her direct way.

Aya finished chewing her food. "No, but would you mind if he was?"

"Of course I wouldn't mind. You have excellent judgment. So if you like him, then I'm sure I will too."

Aya smiled. "Mum, you're such a sweetheart. You're always on my side even when Daddy and Hana aren't. I can imagine what their reaction would be if they met Ryuuzaki." She rolled her eyes. "They'd probably order me to never speak to him again."

Her mother laughed. "Yes, well, they'll have to get over their controlling personalities eventually. And who knows, they may surprise you."

"I doubt it. You know how they are about people who don't fit into their vision of normalcy. They're very intolerant about that kind of thing."

"I think 'stubborn' might be a better word to use. But don't worry, Aya, you're an adult now and they'll have to accept that you can make your own decisions."

Aya finished the last bite of her sandwich and licked her fingers. "I guess, but it still worries me."

* * *

While this conversation was occurring downstairs, L was carefully searching every inch of Aya's room. He had been at it for almost a half an hour before he was satisfied that he hadn't overlooked a hiding place.

L did find Aya's journal though. He briefly scanned it, but she hadn't written anything about Raito or the Kira case at all. He saw the name 'Ryuuzaki' quite a few times, but it was only to mention that they had spoken or hung out together. One of the last entries caught his eye though. She wrote: 'I think I'm starting to really like Ryuuzaki. I haven't seen him in a while, but we message and talk on the phone a lot. I know he would at least consider me a friend, though I hope we can be more than that someday.'

L's heartbeat increased. _*Aya likes me? Does this mean I'm wrong to suspect her? I don't think many people would lie in a diary entry… unless this is her backup plan to make herself look innocent? She could just be covering her tracks. Yes, that might be it. This doesn't change anything.* _

He closed the journal and put it back inside her nightstand drawer. His eyes were burning from lack of sleep so he decided to lay down for a bit. As his body sank into Aya's comfortable memory foam mattress, an overwhelming feeling of exhaustion came over him. Behind his closed eyelids, the room was spinning, pulling him into a dark abyss that he couldn't fight against. L gave into it and slept.

* * *

When he woke up, he was clutching a small red pillow to his chest. L blinked and checked the clock. It was past 3:30. He bolted up, appalled that he had slept so long. He headed for the bathroom, which turned out to be just as disordered as her bedroom. Hair products and makeup littered the counter-top. A pair of toothbrushes sat in a cup: one was purple and the other was blue. _*She must share this bathroom with her older sister,* _L realized as he scanned the rest of his surroundings. A leaf green bath towel was thrown over the side of the tub. Clothes were hanging on the towel bar and L noticed that one of the items was a lacy white bra. He resisted the urge to check the tag for the cup size, turning to face the mirror instead. His hair was sticking up even more than usual. L wet his hands with water and tried to flatten it somewhat. He then searched the cupboards, but all he found were feminine products, bottles of nail polish, over the counter medicine, plus even more makeup and assorted hair accessories. L realized then how personal a girl's bathroom was and felt slightly guilty for all that he had seen. He sat on the toilet seat and tried to regain some composure. After a few minutes, he was finally calm enough to go downstairs and face Aya.

He found her sitting on the couch, reading a book. Her cat was curled up beside her. She glanced over at him and smiled, which made L feel even worse.

"I'm sorry for falling asleep. I'm a horrible guest," he said, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"It's no big deal. I'm glad you felt relaxed enough to sleep. I'll just go and make some tea for us. Here," she said, giving him her book. "You can sit down and read while you wait." Aya touched his shoulder as she walked by.

L perched himself on a green armchair.

"Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone," he said out loud. *_I read that when I was younger.* _L flipped to the first page and held the book up in front of his face with two fingers on either side.

He had only read one page when he felt something cold and wet on his foot. L looked down and saw the fluffy cat staring back at him with sky blue eyes. Ciel jumped up on the chair and rubbed his head against his arm. L put the book down and extended a hand for the cat to smell. Ciel licked his finger and he took that as a positive sign. He began to pet the cat's fur, which was incredibly long and silky. A moment later, Ciel had put his paw on L's knee, forcing him to lower his legs so that he could sit on his lap.

L had always liked cats. There had been one at Wammy's House until a kid became allergic to it. Another home was found for the tabby and L remembered being sad about it for at least a week.

Ciel purred as he scratched his head. They stayed that way for a few minutes until Aya returned with a tray.

"Looks like Ciel has really taken a fancy to you, Ryuuzaki," she said with a smile when she saw them together. Aya placed the tray down on the coffee table. "You like milk in your tea, right?"

"Yes," he answered.

She poured enough in so that the orange color turned into a diluted light brown.

"Four sugar cubes?"

He nodded. "Thank you."

The Himalayan cat jumped down and tried to investigate the tray, but Aya pushed him gently away and said, "No, Ciel, this food isn't for you." He seemed offended as he sauntered out of the room, fluffy tail in the air.

L moved over to the couch and accepted the cup and saucer. He took a sip. It was perfect; exactly the way he liked it.

"Help yourself to some dessert too," she told him.

L polished off three lemon bars and another cup of tea before he felt full.

"Those were really good. Did you make them?"

"No, my mum did, but I bake sweets too sometimes."

L knew he had to put the next step of his plan into action, but he didn't want to talk in the house where her mother could overhear them. He thought back to what Aya had done during their date. "It's a nice day out," L said, looking towards the window. "Can we go outside for a walk?"

"Sure. Just let me change first."

* * *

They arrived at a small park fifteen minutes later. Children were playing on the slides and chasing each other, laughing excitedly. L looked sideways at Aya. She was gazing up at the shifting white clouds as they walked along. It was a sunny day, but a strong breeze was blowing against them that made it feel cooler than it actually was. Aya's hair was no longer in braids and it streamed out behind her. In the sunlight, it had taken on a reddish hue that L found to be very pretty.

L took a deep breath and said, "Aya, I need to tell you something that will make you angry with me."

She stopped walking and looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"I searched your room. I had to make sure you weren't the one acting as Kira." His eyes looked into hers without blinking, waiting for her reaction.

Aya looked stunned and didn't say anything. The wind blew a stray piece of hair across her face and she tucked it behind her ear.

"I apologize for not respecting your privacy," L continued.

"I don't care about that," she said after a moment. "I don't have anything to hide, but I can't believe you would think that about me. I've been working with you for almost two months. Have you suspected me all this time?"

"I have to suspect everyone that I meet," he replied.

Aya pressed her lips together. "Do you suspect the others on your task force as well?"

"I did at first, but they've been cleared. Now I just have to be sure about you."

"How are you going to clear me? Will I be locked up too?" she asked, looking into his eyes.

"No, I'm not going to lock you up," he said softly. "I don't like thinking this about you. I hope you believe that."

She turned away and started walking ahead of him. He had to increase his stride to keep up with her.

"Tell me why you think I'm Kira," she requested.

"You show up one day and just happen to be in one of my classes and also in Raito's. I'm not a big believer in coincidences, so I assumed that you were acting as a spy to find out what I knew about Kira."

Aya glanced at him. "Well it isn't true. I believe in fate and I think I met you so that I could help you."

"There's no logic to fate," L answered.

"Not everything can be explained using logic, Ryuuzaki."

"I've always been able to before."

"Well nothing about this case is logical! You said it yourself. So if shinigami's and magic notebooks exist, why can't fate exist too?" The tone of her voice had grown louder and L could see that she was getting upset.

"Alright, you've got me there. Lets sit down and talk about this." L took her arm and pulled her towards a bench under a tree. He wanted to be able to look at her while he presented his ideas.

"Lets hear your theory then," Aya said, sitting down.

L assumed his normal crouching position before he began his narration. "You admitted to me that Raito is very charming and popular with girls. I think he knew he could manipulate you, so maybe you went out on a few dates and then he subtly brought up Kira to see how you felt. Once he knew he could trust you, he admitted who he was and asked you to spy for him."

"Don't insult me. I would never let a man manipulate me, let alone Raito Yagami. I've never liked him and I hate Kira!"

"I can't know that for sure. Just hear me out. I'm presenting a hypothetical situation." L noticed how angry she was. Her cheeks had even begun to turn pink. _*But is she angry because she really isn't involved or because she's been found out?*_

"So you start working as a double agent. Maybe you even transferred into that philosophy class, hoping I would show up so you could talk to me," he said in a calm voice. "Raito wanted you to be honest about his actions in order to get me to invite you onto the case. It would be too suspicious if he didn't write any names down when you had the camera. Raito wanted to see what I'd do. He knew that video evidence wouldn't really be enough to convict him."

Aya shook her head. "But that doesn't make sense! Yagami wouldn't want any evidence linking him to Kira at all. Why would he take a risk like that?"

"He's arrogant. He thinks he can beat me even if he shows me how he kills."

"I think his arrogance is exactly why he wrote those names in public. He didn't think he would be caught," Aya replied.

"That might be true as well." L cleared his throat. "So anyway, Raito hadn't expected a second Kira to appear on the scene. Misa then gets locked up and he follows voluntarily, all the while giving you the notebook to continue the murders. He lost his memory because he transferred his powers to you."

"I agree with you about giving the notebook to someone else, but I am not that person. I know I can't prove that to you though." She looked away from him and said grudgingly, "your theory makes sense. I would probably think the same if I was in your shoes."

There was a brief moment of silence before L said, "I want you to stay at headquarters."

Aya glanced over at him. "You said you wouldn't lock me up."

"I'm not, you'll stay in a regular room and have complete freedom to move about."

"How am I going to explain this to my family?"

"Tell them the truth; that you've been working undercover on the Kira case and that I have requested you stay with the rest of the team."

Aya knew that she didn't have a choice in the matter. It wasn't an invitation, it was a command, and the knowledge of that made her more than a little furious at L. She didn't like to be ordered around by anybody. If there was one thing that Aya hated, it was feeling helpless.


	7. Humility

**Chapter 7: Humility**

Mrs. Takeda's eyes widened as Aya explained the situation in the living room. Based on her shocked expression, L knew that Aya hadn't broken her promise regarding the Kira case.

"We've reached a difficult time in the investigation. Everyone on the task force has moved into headquarters in order to monitor the situation around the clock. It also provides us with a high level of safety," L added with the hopes of convincing Aya's mother. "We're getting close to solving the case, which is why I have to make this request now despite the inconvenience it will cause. I sincerely apologize, Mrs. Takeda," he said, bowing his head. "I wouldn't ask this unless it was absolutely necessary."

When he looked up to meet her eyes, his performance seemed to have worked because her expression had softened.

"I understand." She turned to her daughter. "You have my consent to go, Aya, and I'm sure your father would feel the same. We are not Kira supporters in this house, Mr. Ryuuzaki."

"I'm glad to hear that. Your daughter has already helped us out immensely and I'm confident that she will continue to do so."

"I'm proud of you, sweetheart," she said, smiling at Aya.

"Thanks mum."

"I'll have to ask that you keep your daughter's involvement a secret."

Mrs. Takeda's looked at him with her vivid green eyes. "Of course. We won't tell anyone."

"That might be difficult for Hana," Aya commented.

"I think even your sister will be able to keep her mouth closed about this. She'll understand the importance of it."

A few minutes later, Aya went upstairs to pack and L followed.

"Is your father away on a business trip?" he asked as they entered her room.

"Yes. He'll be in Hong Kong until Tuesday for a conference." Aya was reaching for a few books off her shelf when he stopped her.

"No books. Just clothes and other necessities."

She looked at him. "I never go anywhere without a book."

"I have books, and if you don't like them, I'll buy new ones for you."

Aya bit her lip and headed for the closet. She pulled clothes off the hangers and brought them over to her bed. L interrupted her again as she started to fold a shirt.

"Don't bother. They will be thoroughly searched later."

"What? Now you think I'm hiding notebook pages in my clothes?" Her hands were shaking in anger.

"These are precautionary measures that I must take. If I wasn't careful, I could be putting my whole team in danger."

Aya shoved her clothes into the suitcase and zipped it. She found a duffel bag for her toiletries and went into the bathroom. L leaned against the doorway to observe her.

"You're really angry with me, aren't you?"

"Of course I am. You're treating me like I've done something wrong," she replied, reaching into the shower and pulling out her shampoo and conditioner. "It hurts that you don't trust me."

L had no response for that and they passed the remaining few minutes without speaking to each other.

* * *

Aya looked out the window, trying to ignore L as they rode in the car. She could feel his eyes watching her. The tension was thick and unpleasant, making the travel time seem even longer. Eventually the car entered a parking garage. Watari had to punch in a key code, then scan his fingerprint and eye before being allowed through the barrier. There was further security to enter the building and all of them had to empty their pockets of electronic devices or metal before going through the detector. Aya hadn't been allowed to bring her phone anyway.

They walked directly into a room with a high ceiling and two open staircases that led to a loft. It was modern and sterile looking with shiny floors and spot lighting that gave the room an eerie blue cast. There was a giant TV surrounded by six smaller screens on the wall. A long table with computers was placed in front of the media center and three men turned around in their chairs when they entered. Another man was sitting on a couch.

"This is Aya Takeda. She's been helping me on the case for about two months," L said in a casual tone. "I will explain everything in detail once I have her settled in a room. Watari, if you could come with us please."

L placed his hand on Aya's back to steer her towards the elevators. He could feel her flinch at his touch. _*She hates me now,* _L realized with disappointment, dropping his hand.

Watari pulled Aya's luggage behind him into the elevator and L pressed the button 9.

"You'll have the floor to yourself. The rest of us are on the 10th and 11th floors," L told her.

Aya hadn't said anything in so long that L was starting to feel really uncomfortable. This was the first time she had ever been quiet with him.

They stepped out of the elevator into a well lit hallway.

"Aya, I promise that this is the last embarrassment you will have to go through today."

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What do you mean?"

"Watari will be going inside the room with you, where you will surrender the clothes you are wearing. There are pajamas on the bed for you to put on while we search through your belongings."

Aya looked at him in disbelief.

"I'm doing this to clear you." He slid the keycard and turned the handle. "Please go in."

Aya and Watari entered and closed the door. L leaned against the wall near her suitcase and waited, feeling a bit sick to his stomach._  
_

* * *

The room was more like an apartment. There was a large sitting area with couches and a television, plus a kitchenette with a stove, microwave and mini fridge. Aya noticed a table and chairs overlooking a row of windows. The blinds were open and sunlight streamed in.

"The bedroom is this way," Watari said, pointing to a hallway.

The first thing Aya noticed was the pair of blue pajamas folded neatly at the end of the bed. The walls and comforter were white and Aya felt like she was in a hospital. With her back to Watari, she quickly took off her jeans and shirt.

She reached for the pajamas, but Watari interrupted her by saying, "I'll need your bra and underwear as well."

Aya's pulse was racing and she felt the blood rush to her face.

"I hope you're not planning to pat me down, because that's sexual harassment and I will not allow that," she said in an angry tone.

"No, that won't be necessary."

Aya threw her bra and underwear onto the floor in disgust and put on the pajamas as quickly as she could. Her hands shook as she tried to button the shirt.

"I apologize most sincerely. I know how hard this must be for you," Watari said as he gathered up her clothes.

Aya waited until he was gone before collapsing on the bed and crying. She was humiliated, heartbroken, and infuriated. _*L was like a different person today… the way he lied so easily to my mother and made it look sincere. He's been playing a role all this time! The person that I liked and admired so much doesn't really exist._ _He just used me! I was stupid to think that I meant something to him.* _What hurt the most is that she had trusted L. Aya had always been proud of her ability to see inside people and understand them instinctively. Now she realized that her talent wasn't as infallible as she thought. _*If I can't even trust my own judgment, what can I trust?*_

* * *

L and Watari were in a vacant room a few doors down. Aya's suitcase was opened on the bed. Watari started with the clothes that she had just taken off. He turned them inside out, looking for a fragment of paper pinned to the inside. Nothing. He placed them in a pile and began inspecting the contents of her suitcase.

"Watari, would you mind checking all of them? I don't want to do it," L said from the chair in the corner.

He looked over at L. "I didn't think you would. You like that young lady, don't you?"

"She's become a friend, but I'm not sure she feels the same way about me right now."

"She will understand eventually."

Watari found nothing suspicious about her clothes or suitcases. "I suppose this clears her as long as she remains inside headquarters," he said, zipping up her luggage and placing them at L's feet.

L slung the bag over his shoulder and wheeled the luggage out into the hall. He knocked on her door before entering with the keycard. He made his way through the suite to her bedroom. The door was open, but Aya was under the covers with her back to him.

"Your bags are on the floor for you. I'm leaving the keycard on the table in case you want to come downstairs later."

She ignored him.

"We'll be having dinner in a few hours."

"I won't be going," Aya said in a voice that told him she had been crying.

"I'll have it brought up to you then." He paused, considering his words. "I'm very sorry about today. I hope you'll join our investigation tomorrow."

He waited a few moments, but she didn't respond. The hollow feeling in the pit of his stomach had returned. L headed downstairs to explain everything to his team.

* * *

"Let me warn you Chief Yagami, you're not going to like what you see on this tape." L fast forwarded to the right spot and paused it on the paper. He zoomed in so the names were visible. L went to another computer and pulled up the news broadcast and played it for them.

"Holy shit!" Matsuda exclaimed.

"My son is Kira? Then who is the one killing criminals now? How is this possible?"

L explained his theories in detail about the notebook pages and his suspicions regarding Aya or another person acting in his place.

"Another female Kira? I don't believe it," Aizawa chimed in.

"It might not be her at all, but I wanted to eliminate Aya as a suspect so I brought her in. As you can see, she was able to get this video evidence."

Aizawa threw up his hands in frustration. "That in itself should exclude her from suspicion! None of this makes any sense."

"I know it isn't logical, but we can't ignore the video. This isn't a normal case. We knew that as soon as Lind L. Tailor was killed on a live broadcast." L took a gulp of coffee. He had the worst headache, which he hoped would go away with large doses of caffeine.

"Do we have any chocolate around here?" L asked, looking under papers that were scattered across the work station. Mogi handed him a Meiji Strawberry Chocolate bar.

"Thank you." L unwrapped it and took a bite. He could feel the sugar rushing into his bloodstream and he was starting to feel a bit better.

Chief Yagami was sitting in a chair, his head in his hands.

"I'm sorry about your son," L said once he had finished chewing.

He looked up at him. "Is he merely acting or has he lost his memory?"

"He appears sincere. I believe that by surrendering the notebook, his memories of it have disappeared. Raito probably thought he was getting away with the perfect crime." L took another bite of chocolate.

"What about Misa Amane? Do you think she surrendered her notebook as well?" Matsuda asked.

"Yes, which means that at least two notebooks are out there right now. One is probably hidden, but the other is being used by someone. The question is, did Raito choose his successor or did they get the notebook by some other means?"

Matsuda drew his eyebrows together. "What other means?"

"The shinigami. They were mentioned in that suicide note and on TV by the second Kira. We can't overlook that." L finished the chocolate and washed it down with some coffee.

"So you're saying that shinigami are real and they're linked to these notebooks?" Chief Yagami sounded skeptical.

"Yes, precisely. One of the shinigami's could have given the notebook to someone else. This would ensure that Raito's identity would remain a secret. His plan would not work if anyone knew about him being Kira. That's assuming that he isn't aware of the video evidence we have on him. If Aya was working with Raito, then we are right back to guessing his intentions."

"Do you honestly believe that Takeda-san is involved?" Matsuda asked.

"That looks doubtful now. I would like all of you to observe her and tell me your impressions. Oh, and use your aliases when introducing yourself or referring to each other from now on. Just in case."

"Will she be joining us later?" Mogi spoke up from his seat. He had been listening quietly the whole time.

"Not today. She's furious with me right now," L answered.

"Yeah well, do you blame her? You had her strip searched!" Aizawa was disgusted. He had a young daughter at home and he would never want her to go through that.

He sighed. "It's not something I wanted to do."

"Do you even feel bad?"

L focused his eyes on Aizawa. "Yes. I am a human being."

"You don't seem like one sometimes," Aizawa retorted.

"That's enough, Aizawa." Chief Yagami stood up. "Don't forget that this is Kira we're dealing with. We'll pay with our lives if we make any mistakes." He walked out of the room

Chief Yagami had just learned a terrible truth about his son and yet he could still be composed.

Everyone grew silent, contemplating this new turn of events.

* * *

L took Mogi aside and told him that Watari would be accompanying him tomorrow to retrieve the metal box.

"Please do not touch the contents. Just bring it back here so we can open it together."

He hinted to his team that they might have another piece of evidence shortly, but he remained cryptic so as not to get their hopes up. L didn't know what to expect anymore.

* * *

Aya had just showered and dressed when she heard a knock at the door. She glanced at the clock; it was just past 6 PM. _*It must be someone with my dinner.* _Aya opened the door and saw a man who appeared to be in his late twenties holding a tray of food.

"Hello Takeda-san, I'm Taro Matsui. I've come as your butler today."

He gave her a friendly grin and Aya felt herself smiling back. His cheerful disposition instantly put her at ease.

"Hi, it's very nice to meet you. Please come in," she told him.

Matsui stepped inside and placed the tray on the table.

"I saw the evidence you caught in class, it's very impressive!"

"Thank you. I was pretty nervous that day," Aya said, walking over to the fridge and getting out a bottle of water.

"Well it looked like you did great. None of us can believe that Raito-kun is Kira though. I can't imagine how his father feels."

"He's working on the case too, right?" Aya asked.

"Yes, he's our chief," Matsui replied. "He hasn't said much since seeing the video. That's almost worse. I wish he'd just start yelling. I know I would if it was my son who did something so horrible. Not that I have a kid," he added. "I'm still a care-free single guy."

_*Is he trying to flirt with me?* _Aya hid her smile by taking a sip of water. She sat at the table and motioned to the other chair. "Please sit down, I would like to talk more." She took the lid off the plate and saw spaghetti. L had remembered that it was her favorite food, but she couldn't feel grateful towards him at the moment.

"Chief Yagami probably feels like he doesn't even know his own child. It must be awful," Aya said, blowing on a forkful of her spaghetti to cool it off.

Matsui nodded his head in agreement. "It explains how Kira was getting inside information on the case before. Raito-kun must have hacked into his father's account."

Aya finished chewing her food. "That was his first mistake. Ryuuzaki may never have latched onto Yagami-san as a suspect if he hadn't tried to prove that Kira wasn't a student," she said, looking across the table at her companion. "And then killing the FBI agent who was tailing him… just what was he thinking? He's made so many mistakes for someone who is supposed to be intelligent."

"Well when you put it that way, I agree. I'm still shocked at the revelation though. All the signs pointed to Raito-kun being Kira, but none of us wanted to believe it. To be honest, I feel betrayed. Raito-kun was working with us and I came to think of him as a friend." Matsui looked down at his hands, a dejected look on his face.

Aya could see that he was an incredibly sincere person who never liked to believe the worst about anyone. His naiveté was endearing, yet also a bit tragic. _*People like him are bound to be disappointed throughout their life.* _Her own wound of betrayal was still fresh and she could sympathize with him.

"You already ate I hope?" she asked, changing the subject to lighten the mood.

"Yes, before I came up."

"Thank you for bringing this to me."

"No problem." He smiled at her. "I wanted to welcome you to the team."

"Is there a regular work schedule? I need to know when I should get up tomorrow."

"No, not really. Sometimes we don't even start until the afternoon. We're pretty informal around here."

"Sounds good to me. Where should I go to have breakfast?"

"The eating area is on the second floor. There's no door so you'll see it right away," he explained. "One of us will probably be in there tomorrow to show you around, but if not, the main room you met us in earlier is on the basement level."

They chatted until she was finished eating. He offered to take the tray back down for her.

"Thank you. I'd rather not see Ryuuzaki right now."

"I wouldn't either if he did that to me. Ryuuzaki can be very cold sometimes."

"I guess I can understand his behavior, but I'm not going to forgive him just yet," she told him.

"Yeah, you should make him squirm a bit. I wonder if you could get him to beg for forgiveness," he joked.

Aya laughed and said, "You've really cheered me up you know."

Matsui gave her a smile. "Glad I could help. Anytime you need a laugh, I'll do my best to entertain you." They walked over to the door.

"Oh before I forget, Ryuuzaki told me that he left some dessert for you in the cupboard. I know you're mad at him, but I just thought I'd mention it."

"Alright, I'll check it later when I feel hungry. Thanks again for coming to see me."

They said goodbye and Aya was almost sorry when he left because now she had nothing to do. There were no books in the room or even a computer. She sat down on one of the modern dark gray couches covered in a faux suede fabric. It was surprisingly comfortable and Aya settled back, propping up her feet on the coffee table. She pointed the remote at the large flat screen TV mounted to the wall and starting flipping through the channels. She stopped on 'Sasuke,' a sports entertainment show where athletes have to complete a difficult obstacle course.

Aya got up on a commercial break to see what L had left for her in the cupboard. Inside was a box of truffles. She carried it back to the couch with her and tasted one, savoring the richness of it. _*I'm still angry, but at least I have chocolate to make me feel better,* _Aya thought with a little smile. She ate one more and then set the box aside. Another episode of 'Sasuke' came on which helped to distract her from what had happened earlier.

* * *

L was not as relaxed in his room. He remembered the shocked, hurt look on Aya's face when he told her that she would have to undress in front of Watari. He could still hear her emotional sounding voice telling him she wasn't coming downstairs to eat dinner. L had made a girl cry and he was feeling guilty for it. This was rather puzzling in and of itself since L wasn't accustomed to feeling guilty for anything. _*This is because I'm working with others… if I was on my own, I wouldn't have to deal with any of this,* _he thought as he chewed his thumb nail.

L preferred to work alone in order to avoid all the complications that came from human interaction. He wasn't a team player and he didn't like thinking about other people. The Kira case was proving to be the most challenging of his career. Not only did he have to deal with the unbelievable nature of the murders, he also had to face new emotions that only confused him. L felt completely out of his depth. _*And things could get really crazy tomorrow when Mogi brings in that box.* _L knew he wasn't going to get any sleep tonight.

* * *

**A/N: The previous chapters set everything up, but now my story is finally starting to take shape! With Aya now at headquarters, we'll be seeing her all the time and learning more about her character. This chapter was intense to write; everyone had to face some very hard truths about themselves and about other people. What do you think about L's actions? Do you feel sorry for Aya? **

**I love reviews, so keep the feedback coming!  
**

**Check out the latest entry in my live journal (link can be found on my profile) ****if you want to read an extended author's note regarding my story up until this point. Thanks for your support & I'll see you next chapter :D  
**


	8. Shinigami

**Chapter 8: Shinigami**

Aya took the elevator to the second floor just after 10:30 AM. She had no trouble finding the breakfast area, which was only a short walk down the hallway. The room was sunny and inviting. There was a buffet table with food along one of the walls. Aya got herself a croissant and a cup of tea. She noticed that a newspaper was sitting out on one of the café tables, so she sat down to read it.

"I thought I heard someone in here."

Aya looked up to see a man with an afro walking towards her. She put down her tea and stood up to introduce herself. "Good morning. I'm Aya Takeda," she said bowing slightly. "Nice to meet you."

"My pleasure. I'm Aihara. How are you this morning?"

"I'm good," Aya smiled. "Much better than yesterday."

"That must have been quite a shock for you."

"Yes, it was, but I'm alright now."

"Glad to hear it. Will you excuse me for a moment while I get my food?"

"Of course, take your time." Aya sat back down and resumed scanning the headlines.

"Do you mind if I join you?" he asked a few minutes later.

"Not at all," she replied, folding up the paper to make room for him.

"It's nice to see young people reading the news."

"Oh, thank you. My sister thinks I'm weird to do it, but I guess it's my morning ritual."

"There's nothing wrong with that," Aihara said, stirring his coffee. "It's better to know what's going on in the world." He took a bite of his cereal. "So, that video evidence you caught is pretty unbelievable," Aihara commented once he had finished chewing.

"I know. It's still hard to comprehend that supernatural powers even exist."

"I heard that Raito Yagami briefly suspected you after the pencil incident," he said bluntly.

"Yeah, he sat next to me the following week and ended up asking me out on a date. I was nervous, but I managed to get through it somehow. I told Yagami-san I had a boyfriend which saved me from going out with him."

"Good thinking. And he left you alone after that?"

"Yes, much to my relief," she replied, taking a sip of her tea.

He stared at her intently. "That's lucky. I think that might be why Ryuuzaki suspects you. Raito gave up almost too quickly."

Aya felt the heat rise to her face. "He can think what he likes. In the end I was only another student asking to borrow something. I acted natural and I think that's why he didn't bother me after that. Plus Ryuuzaki invited Yagami-san onto the case and that helped to distract him."

Aihara gave her half a smile. "Well for what it's worth, I don't think you're lying."

"Thank you."

With the tension now broken, they finished eating in a companionable silence. Aya liked Aihara; he seemed a very direct and upright sort of person. _*He isn't the type to play mind games. I hope the other task force members are the same way,*_ she thought as she put her dishes in the sink.

"Shall we go downstairs together?" Aihara offered.

"Yes, please."

Aya felt a lot less awkward entering the main work room with someone else.

"Good morning," Aihara called out as they stepped out of the elevator. "Look who I found."

Aya said hello and two men that she hadn't met walked up to her and introduced themselves.

"I'm Kanichi Moji, nice to meet you," said a tall, muscular man with short hair. He appeared to be in his early thirties.

The next man to step forward could be none other than Raito Yagami's father. He had graying, slicked back hair and a rather stern expression. Aya could detect dark circles behind his glasses. He had a well groomed mustache, but he hadn't shaved his beard that morning and a shadow now covered his face. He looked quite worn out and defeated, which was completely understandable considering what he had just found out about his son.

"I'm Soichiro Yagami, nice to meet you."

"I'm Aya Takeda. Please take care of me from now on," she said politely, bowing to both of them.

Matsui came up to her and said good morning. She gave him a friendly greeting. L stayed seated in his computer chair, but his eyes remained fixed on Aya. She frowned and looked away from him, choosing to focus on the television screens instead. She could see a girl blindfolded and strapped in an upright position that looked extremely uncomfortable, while Raito was handcuffed and laying on a cot.

Aya was horrified. "Why is she restrained like that? It looks like bondage."

"It's so she won't hurt herself," L answered.

"Raito Yagami is not being treated that way. It's completely unnecessary."

"You're right. Perhaps we should get her a bed and take off the straps."

The other team members exchanged surprised glances. "You sure about that, Ryuuzaki?" Matsui asked.

"Yes. She's no longer suicidal. The blindfold stays and she will remain handcuffed like Raito. If you could take care of that Watari."

Aya looked around the room, but didn't see the older man anywhere. She was relieved. The embarrassment of being naked in front of him was still fresh in her mind.

"Understood. I'll get right on it." Watari's voice was coming from a computer screen.

"Now that we're all here, I'd like to show Aya the footage of Misa and Raito's shift in personality to get her input on it." L rolled over to another computer in his chair and opened the folder containing the video files. He made sure to raise up the volume before clicking play. "Have a seat," he told her, moving out of the way.

Aya pulled up a chair and sat in front of the screen. She saw Misa pleading for someone to kill her. Misa then started yelling about how she should have died with her family anyway. Misa said: "You should be able to kill me immediately."

"I don't think she's talking to the camera. It seems like she's having a conversation with someone," Aya commented.

Matsui nodded. "That's what Ryuuzaki thought too."

A gag was placed in her mouth by Watari to prevent her from biting her tongue. At one point, Misa seemed to nod her head and a piece of her hair moved as if someone had touched it.

"Her hair just moved! There wasn't a fan in there, right?"

"No fan," L replied. "She faints after this so just fast forward through it until she wakes up."

Aya hit the button. Minutes passed and Misa finally stirred. She clicked play and heard Misa calling out for her stalker to let her go. She had been so withdrawn before and now she sounded like an airhead. L asked her if she knew Raito Yagami and she said: "Yes, he's my boyfriend."

"Wow, what a difference."

Aya pushed her chair away so L could pull up the next video. In it, L and Raito were talking. It seemed like nothing, until Raito's eyes suddenly went wide and he started frantically denying that he was Kira. Raito said: "There must have been something wrong with me when I suggested being locked up. How can someone murder without being aware of it?"

Aya watched the rest of their conversation and played the video again, trying to pinpoint exactly where Raito had changed.

"It seems to happen right after he says he forfeits his pride."

Matsui and Aihara looked at each other and smiled.

"I knew you'd pick up on it. 'Forfeit' must have been the code word for his shinigami. I think that's when he gave up his power and lost his memory. The perfect plan because he could believably claim innocence," L replied.

"So Misa had a shinigami with her too and it touched her hair. When she seemed to nod her head, maybe that was her way of forfeiting her power," Aya thought out loud.

"That's my theory as well. Of course all this speculation is useless without any proof. Moji-san, if you and Watari could go take care of what we talked about yesterday. He should be down in just a moment."

L looked at the screen. Misa Amane's arms and legs were secured and she was lying on a cot. He raised the sound up.

"Thank you stalker-san, this is a lot more comfortable," Misa called out in her girlish voice.

L pressed the button for Raito's room. "How are you doing in there?"

"How do you think I'm doing? This is frustrating." Raito was gazing up at the ceiling.

"Please be patient, we might know more about Kira very soon."

* * *

Mogi and Watari arrived with the metal case mid afternoon. L explained how Mogi had followed Raito to a park where he buried the box. "Forgive me for not telling anyone about this until now."

"What is wrong with you? Keeping something like this a secret!" Aizawa lost his temper for the second time in as many days.

"This is messed up, Ryuuzaki," Matsuda agreed.

A vein throbbed on Chief Yagami's forehead. "Why are you waiting until now to reveal all of this information? Did you not trust us before?"

"I trust you. I didn't say anything because I was hoping that an accomplice would incriminate themselves by going to dig up the box." L glanced at Aya, who had an angry expression on her face. He cleared his throat and said, "But that didn't happen, so I figured it was about time to see this notebook for ourselves. Moji-san got everything on film so we'll be watching that later. Please, lets all share this moment together."

Everyone gathered around L's chair as he opened the metal box. Inside was a black notebook in a zip lock bag.

L put on some cotton gloves and held the bag up by two fingers.

"Death Note," he read out loud.

"Hurry and take it out!" Matsuda said excitedly.

L pulled the bag apart and reached inside. His eyes were shining with anticipation, exactly like a child getting ready to open a Christmas present.

He placed the Death Note on the desk and flipped the cover open. A letter was stuck inside. L was about to read it when he heard a rasping voice say, "This is a surprise."

L turned around in his computer chair and saw a hulking, winged monster with a terrifying face hovering in the air. His eyes went wide with shock and he fell onto the ground near Matsuda's feet. The creature gave a chilling laugh at his reaction.

"Ryuuzaki, what's the matter?"

"Doesn't anyone see that?" His face was frozen in fear. He was looking at a real shinigami; a god of death. No amount of knowledge could have prepared him for a meeting with one.

Arms hoisted him to his feet. He glanced over to see Mogi beside him. L gripped the edge of the table for support.

"See what?" Aya asked, looking around in confusion.

L pointed to it. "The shinigami."

Everyone looked at him like he was crazy. They clearly were not seeing what he was seeing.

"Why am I the only one who can see you?" L asked the creature.

"Have them touch the Death Note and they'll be able to see me," the shinigami replied.

"Everyone, put some gloves on and touch the notebook," L told them hurriedly.

They each pulled a pair out of the box and touched the cover. There were a few screams and the shinigami laughed again.

"I've never had so many humans see me at the same time before." He landed on the ground. "Let me congratulate all of you on capturing Raito."

Chief Yagami's fear seemed to dissipate at those words. "So it's true then… my son really is Kira."

"Yes and he used my Death Note to kill."

"This is insane," Matsuda muttered.

Everyone was silent for a few seconds as they tried to take the situation in.

L found his voice and said, "We have some questions for you if you don't mind."

"I'm sure you do, but I won't answer any of them until I get some apples."

"Of course, you're the shinigami who likes apples!" L exclaimed.

"Yes, and my name is Ryuk."

"Can someone get some apples please?"

* * *

Aya dashed towards the elevator, remembering the bowl of fruit in the breakfast room. She had to get away from the shinigami for a moment. He looked like something out of one of her nightmares when she was little._ *This can't be real! I feel like I'm in an episode of 'Supernatural' or something,* _she thought as she entered the elevator.

When she got back from the breakfast room, Ryuk descended on her, grabbing two apples out of her hands. She cowered at the sudden movement and almost fell. He threw the fruit into his mouth greedily.

"I've seen you before." The shinigami said to her once he had swallowed the last bite.

"Aren't you one of Raito's classmates?"

Aya managed to nod her head in the affirmative.

He let out a bark of laughter. "And you were working for L the whole time! Raito did suspect you at first you know. He looked up your name on the school website. Of course I knew that wasn't your real name, but I wasn't going to tell him that. He even thought about killing you."

Aya's stared at him in horror. "Why?"

"Raito wasn't sure if you had seen his paper. I told him that L would suspect him more if a girl who happened to sit behind him died."

"He wouldn't have been able to kill me with the name I gave him," she replied.

"That's true, but if he had written your alias down and you didn't die, he would have discovered that you had lied to him. Raito would have worked hard to get your real name and I'm sure he would have succeeded."

Aya suddenly realized that the shinigami may have saved her life. "Then I should thank you for talking him out of it."

Ryuk stared at his feet in embarrassment. "I only did it to keep things interesting."

L walked towards the shinigami. "So Aya isn't helping Raito?" he asked in clarification.

"No. She's clearly helping you," Ryuk replied.

"I thought she was Raito's spy."

Ryuk grinned at him. "Well you're wrong."

L looked at Aya, who was glaring at him and shaking her head in an 'I told you so' way.

"I apologize for doubting you, Aya."

She sighed. "We can talk about it later, Ryuuzaki."

* * *

L was still holding the letter in his hand. He opened the envelope and pulled out a sheet of paper addressed to Misa and signed by Raito. His eyes widened at the contents and then a smirk crossed his lips. The look on his face was almost scary.

"Are you going to read that out loud?" Aizawa asked impatiently.

"Well there is no doubt anymore. We've got them trapped." He began reading the letter, which discussed Misa regaining her memories, killing L by writing his true name, ripping out pages of the Death Note, and burying the notebook just to be safe. He ended the letter by promising Misa his eternal love if she followed all of his directions.

Ryuk chuckled. "I never thought Raito would get caught this soon."

"How did my son become so evil?" Chief Yagami asked in disbelief.

Aya touched his shoulder sympathetically.

He looked at her. "My daughter is just a little younger than you are. She idolizes her brother and my wife has always been so proud of him. How am I supposed to tell them that Raito is Kira? How could I ever explain that the person they love is someone else entirely?"

"You don't have to tell them," Aya said in a soothing voice.

Chief Yagami began to cry great heaving sobs that caused him to collapse onto a chair. He covered his face with his hands and bowed his head; all the pain of the last few weeks finally spilling out.

Ryuk watched the scene with interest. Humans were capable of such cruelty, yet they had enormous amounts of love inside of them too. It was a paradox to him.

* * *

Chief Yagami had retired to his room. Watari had given him a sedative that would help him sleep.

"Well I think we could all use a drink," L declared, leaving the room with Watari. They returned ten minutes later with cans of beer, sake, and a few bottles of alcoholic lemonade.

"How old are you, Aya?" Aizawa asked her as she reached for a lemonade.

"Nineteen. I'll be twenty on July 25th."

"Hmm, well I'll overlook the illegal drinking this time since it's a unique circumstance and all," he said in a mock serious tone.

She smiled and said, "Thanks officer, your generosity is greatly appreciated."

Aya sat on the couch with Aizawa and Matsuda. L felt slightly annoyed. _*Just how long is she going to ignore me like this?*_ he thought as he took a swig of lemonade. L rarely drank, but he was still feeling a bit jittery from the shinigami incident. He was hoping the alcohol would help calm him nerves. L looked towards Ryuk, who was currently downing a beer a few yards away.

"This is disgusting," Ryuk declared.

"You'd probably prefer something sweet like this," L said, pointing to the bottle in his hand.

"No, thank you. I think I'll just stick to apples from now on."

L opened up a box of donuts. "Does anyone want a donut?"

"I do," Matsuda said, walking over to L and selecting a white powdered one.

Mogi, who was sitting next to L, reached over and grabbed a cinnamon coated donut out of the box.

"Do you want one, Aya?" L asked, looking across the coffee table at her.

"No thank you," she replied, meeting his eyes.

"Are you sure? There's chocolate ones."

"Maybe later," she answered coolly and then turned back to Matsuda who had powdered sugar on his face. Aya laughed and said, "Look how messy you are! You're just like a little kid, Matsui-san."

L ate his chocolate donut, but he didn't enjoy it. He was too preoccupied with watching Aya and Matsuda talking together. _*Maybe I shouldn't have sent him up with the food last night… it seems like they're best friends now,* _L thought in irritation. He ate another donut and gulped down the rest of his lemonade. His lips felt dry, so he reached into his pocket for his chap stick.

"Where did you get that from, Ryuuzaki?" Mogi asked.

"Aya gave it to me," L replied. "It's strawberry flavored. Want to smell it?" He held it out towards him.

Mogi leaned away and said, "No, that's alright."

L shrugged his shoulders and started applying the chap stick. He pressed his lips together. Mogi was staring at him with an unreadable expression on his face. "What's wrong?"

"Uh, nothing at all," Mogi said, turning his face away, but not before L saw him smiling.

_ *Just what the hell is so funny?* _L's mood was getting progressively worse. He looked at the shinigami, who was currently wandering around headquarters.

"Ryuk, could you explain the rules of the Death Note to us?" L asked, putting on his gloves and picking up the notebook to flip through it. He found the name of his former team member, Hirokazu Ukita, written alongside the hosts and police officers who had died on live TV a few months before. _*This Death Note is Misa Amane's. Raito's must be in the 3rd Kira's possession,* _he thought.

Everyone's attention was on the shinigami as he gave them the basic run down of how the Death Note worked.

"If you've been with Raito the whole time, you must have noticed that he was being followed," L pointed out.

"It's possible," the shinigami answered secretively. "I helped Raito out with Raye Penber, so there was really no need to let him know anything else. I'm simply a third party, I don't support you or Raito."

L touched his lip. "So you feel no loyalty towards him?"

"No. He's helped make things interesting for me, but it's not my concern what happens to him." Ryuk stood in front of the blank television screens. "What are you going to do with the Death Note?"

"It's evidence, so I'm not doing anything with it at the moment."

"You aren't going to write in it?" the shinigami asked curiously.

"Why would I do that after how hard I've been working to stop Kira?"

"I thought the power would interest you," Ryuk replied.

"It doesn't interest me. Plus, you said that whoever uses it can't go to heaven or hell. I don't want to be stuck in limbo when I die. It might not have any cake."

Ryuk let out a raspy cackle. "You're even more amusing than Raito. I like you."

"You know, Ryuuzaki, I would imagine that both hell and limbo wouldn't have cake, so you better hope you make it to heaven," Aya joked.

"If I don't earn a spot there for all the crimes I've solved, then I give up," he said in a serious tone.

* * *

The rest of the day passed by in a blur. They asked Ryuk a lot of questions, ate dinner, talked some more, and then had dessert and tea. Everyone was completely wiped out by 10 PM after all the excitement. They allowed themselves to celebrate a victory, but they knew that tomorrow brought them right back to the starting point. It was like pulling a weed only to have another sprout up a few days later.

L locked the Death Note in a safe before going upstairs.

"You aren't going to steal it are you?" he asked Ryuk. He knew that the safe wouldn't stop a shinigami from getting to it.

"No. You were the first person to touch it after Raito surrendered his ownership. The Death Note technically belongs to you now."

L had taken digital pictures of the few names written down. He pulled the memory card out and shoved it in his pocket. _*I should go upstairs and talk to Aya,* _he thought as he walked over to the elevator. L stepped inside and Ryuk went in after him. He pressed the button 9.

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't follow me. I want to speak to Aya privately," L told the shinigami.

"Why?"

"I want to apologize for suspecting her."

"You already did," Ryuk replied.

"It wasn't enough. I want to make sure she isn't angry with me since we have to work together."

"Well I'll just wait for you in your room then. Which one is it?"

"Why do you want to go to my room?" L asked, feeling panicked.

"A shinigami is supposed to be with the current owner of the Death Note at all times."

"I already have sleeping problems and they'll be even worse if you're in the same room. Can't you stay next door?"

"That would be fine with me. I've never had my own room in the human realm before."

The elevator stopped on the 9th floor and L stepped out.

"Go to room 11D then," he told him.

"Sure thing," Ryuk said, disappearing through the ceiling.

L took a deep breath before knocking on Aya's door.

* * *

She answered wearing a matching pajama set with bunnies printed on them. Aya didn't move aside to let him in, so L said what he needed to say from out in the hallway.

"I'm sorry about what I put you through yesterday. I was wrong and I hope you can forgive me."

_ *He looks sincere, but he's already shown that he's capable of deceiving me.* _Aya knew it was best to remain wary. "Thank you for the apology," she said after a moment. "You're probably not wrong very often, are you?"

"This is one of the first times," he admitted. "You said that us meeting was fate. I never believed in shinigami before seeing one today, so I suppose fate could exist too."

She leaned against the door frame. "This is a good lesson for you to always keep an open mind."

"Yeah, I guess it is." L bit his lip. "So are you still angry with me?" he asked hesitantly.

"Yes."

He looked like a scolded child and Aya felt her resolve softening somewhat.

"You can help make it up to me if you let me call my family tomorrow."

L's expression brightened. "Of course. You can use the untraceable phone line whenever you like."

"Okay then. I'll see you in the morning, Ryuuzaki," she told him, keeping her expression serious. _*I have to be firm with him so that he knows not to ever treat me that way again.* _As she closed the door, Aya noticed that he looked let down at her curt dismissal. _*Good, he should be disappointed! He should know what it feels like to be wrong and to feel badly about it,* _she added to herself.

* * *

Ryuk was sitting on his bed when L entered his room.

"How did it go?" the shinigami asked him.

"Fine. Are you lying to me about her? Are you sure she isn't Raito's spy?"

"Humans lie, shinigami don't need to."

L frowned and perched himself on a chair.

"You should have more faith in people," Ryuk said.

"How can I after everything I've seen? Today with Chief Yagami just proves that we can never fully know another person. You can't trust anyone."

"I agree with you for the most part. Humans can be horrible creatures, much worse than shinigami. You see the bad side of everyone because you solve crimes though. The people in the room with you today are the good ones. No one can hide their true natures from a shinigami."

"You're quite a philosopher."

Ryuk laughed. "You learn about these things when you're as old as I am."

L rested his chin on his knees and considered Ryuk's words. It was almost ludicrous that a supernatural being was giving him advice.

"Are there any more apples left?" Ryuk asked, breaking L's contemplative mood.

"You ate them all. I'll have to send someone to the market tomorrow."

"Be sure that you do and we'll get along just fine." He stepped through the wall.

L's thoughts strayed to Aya. _*Did I suspect her because that would make it easier for me to push her away? It's true that I didn't want to get closer to her, so perhaps I was just looking for a reason to distrust her. I'm always alone; that's what I know and it's comfortable to me. It seems quite probable that I let my own biases affect my judgment… that I created a scenario because I wanted it to be true. I see now that I wasn't objective about this in the least.*_

L didn't know how long he sat in the chair thinking. He must have dozed off at one point because when he woke up, it was after 1 AM. L stumbled out of the chair and headed for his bed. He got under the covers and stretched out his cramped body. Despite being exhausted, L couldn't fall asleep right away. He was too busy thinking about Ryuk, Aya, and the 3rd Kira. _*My life has gotten much too complicated,* _L thought with a sigh.

* * *

**A/N: In case anyone is confused, I am using the aliases of Aihara, Matsui, and Moji when the story is told from Aya's POV. Their real names are used when it switches to L's POV.**

**So do you like this turn of events with Ryuk interacting with the task force?**

**Please continue to read, review, & follow :D**


	9. Friendship

**Chapter 9: Friendship**

L didn't wake up on his own the next morning. Someone shook him and when he opened his eyes, he saw Ryuk's face looming inches from his own. He jumped out of bed, momentarily forgetting about the events of the previous day.

"My god, I almost had a heart attack. Never do that again!" L clutched his chest and staggered to the bathroom.

"Hurry, I'm hungry," Ryuk said as L closed the door.

"He's hungry… is this really my life?" he mumbled as he ran the shower taps.

L tried to think as the water ran over him. *_What am I going to do about this situation? Should I tell law enforcement about the Death Note in order to get Misa and Raito officially locked up? But what if I tell them and they show an interest in the notebook? Such a dangerous weapon needs to be destroyed.* _L knew he couldn't let anyone else get their hands on it.

He reached for his fruit scented shampoo and started washing his hair. *_Am I willing to risk anyone else besides my team knowing about this crazy shit? Not really… but if I don't disclose the details to anyone, then what's going to happen with Misa and Raito?* _L couldn't reach a conclusion. He was hungry, going through caffeine withdrawal, and standing up. He rinsed the shampoo out of his hair and hurriedly washed the rest of his body with a bar of soap.

Once L was out of the bathroom, he called Watari's phone and asked him about getting apples for Ryuk.

"I already did, Ryuuzaki. Shall I bring them over?"

"Yes, I'd appreciate that."

L was about to shed his robe and get dressed when he remembered the shinigami's presence. He looked at Ryuk and said, "I'd like to put some clothes on now."

"Go ahead. You don't need to announce your intentions to me," Ryuk said with a trace of amusement in his gravelly voice.

L scowled at him. "That's my way of telling you to leave. No one has seen me naked except for Watari."

Ryuk cackled. "Why has that old man seen you naked?"

"He used to help me get changed when I was younger," L replied defensively.

"Oh, well that's a relief… for a moment there, I thought he was your lover."

L glared at the shinigami, who was sitting at the end of his bed. "You're disgusting. If you don't leave right now, I'm not giving you any apples."

"There's no need for threats. I'm leaving," Ryuk said, stepping through the wall.

_*He's going to drive me insane,* _L thought in annoyance as he pulled on a pair of plaid boxers. He had only just finished changing when he heard a knock. L shuffled over to the main door and opened it to find Watari holding out a bag of apples.

"Thank you, Watari," he said tiredly.

"You're welcome. Did you put on the coffee maker yet?"

L shook his head. "I haven't had time."

Watari knew how lethargic L got without his morning coffee, so he proceeded over to the kitchenette.

"Ryuuzaki, how many times have I told you to prepare the coffee before going to bed, that way all you have to do is press the button?"

"Approximately 156 times," L replied.

Watari measured out the coffee and said, "You would think that after 156 times, you might remember to do it."

L gave a big yawn. "It's not that I forget. I'm just too lazy." He walked over to the cupboard and got out a box of marshmallow cereal.

"I sometimes wonder what will happen to you when I'm gone," Watari commented.

He set a bowl and spoon on the counter top. "No doubt I'll starve to death," L replied, pouring out the cereal.

"No you won't. You'll just have to learn how to do things for yourself."

L looked at him wide-eyed. "Why are you saying this? Are you sick or something?"

Watari pressed the on button and turned to face him. "No, I'm not sick. I don't plan on dying for a while yet, but you are twenty-four years old. Considering your current circumstances, I think it's time you started taking on more adult responsibilities." Watari gave an ironic smile. "I know it's my fault that you behave like an overgrown child instead of a man. I've spoiled you far too much, Ryuuzaki."

"I don't understand where all this is coming from," L said sulkily as he added soy milk to his cereal. "You've never complained before about helping me, so what's changed?"

"I'm sure you will eventually figure it out," Watari replied as he opened the blinds. The room was suffused with early morning sunlight that made L blink.

When his eyes adjusted, Watari was gone. L carried his cereal bowl over to the table and thought about the older man's words. _*What does he mean by my 'current circumstances?' Why would the Kira case mean that I have to start making my own coffee?*_ He didn't get very far into his musings because Ryuk reappeared.

"Where are my apples?" he asked, looking around the room.

"On the counter. Don't eat them all at once or you won't have any left for the rest of the day."

The smell of freshly brewed coffee filled the air. It was one of L's very favorite scents, along with homemade baked goods. He finished his cereal and waited until the coffee maker stopped before going into the kitchen. Ryuk had already eaten two apples and L grabbed the bag out of his hands before he could get more out.

"You have absolutely no willpower," he told the shinigami, as he put the apples in the fridge.

"Well from what I've seen, you don't either," Ryuk pointed out.

L poured his coffee into a mug with the silhouette of a cat on it. "I eat to keep my mind going. What's your excuse?"

"Apples in the human realm are delicious and juicy. They're nothing like the withered, tasteless apples of the shinigami realm."

"Is that so? And what is the shinigami realm like?" L asked as he prepared his coffee.

"An ugly and boring wasteland," Ryuk replied.

L glanced over at him. "No wonder you decided to come here."

"Yes, I quite prefer the human realm. Perhaps I'll never go back home."

L didn't like the thought of that at all, but he said nothing in response.

* * *

It took two cups of coffee before L was properly awake. He got into his thinking pose on the chair in the living room and let different scenarios run through his mind.

"Ryuk, is there a way for Raito to regain his memories of being Kira?"

"Yes," the shinigami replied. "All he has to do is touch the Death Note again."

L stroked his lip. "But if he touches the Death Note, does that mean I will lose ownership?"

"No. He'd either have to steal it away or kill you in order to possess it again."

"Well I'm certainly not going to let that happen." L grew quiet for a few minutes. "What can you tell me about Misa's shinigami?" he finally asked.

"Rem is very fond of her. She threatened to kill Raito if he ever harmed Misa or didn't help her."

L stared at him wide-eyed. "Really? That's unusual. You said yourself that you have no loyalty to Raito."

"Every shinigami is different. Strictly speaking, Rem's feelings are taboo. If she ever wrote down a name in the Death Note in order to save Misa's life, Rem would die."

"That's interesting. So basically, I'm in trouble if Rem finds out that I have evidence on Misa Amane."

Ryuk stood in front of L's chair. "Probably. Rem is busy with the 3rd Kira now though, so you still have some time to make your move."

"What move though? If I punish Misa, I'm sentencing myself to death. I would rather that not happen."

"Then just take care of Raito."

L drummed his fingers on his knee. "But Misa killed one of my men along with other innocent people. I can't let her get away with that," he replied.

"Hmmm, is that your pride speaking or your sense of justice?"

He narrowed his eyes at the shinigami. "Why does that matter?"

"It matters because justice is worth dying for, but pride isn't," Ryuk answered.

"You're wrong. Nothing is worth dying for," L stated.

"If that's what you believe, then you still have things to learn about in this life."

L frowned. He wasn't used to being challenged twice on the same day. _*First Watari and now Ryuk… I wish they'd just come out and say what they mean.*_

* * *

Aya walked over to L as soon as she entered the main room. She had been worrying all night about university and hadn't slept well as a result.

She tapped L's shoulder.

He turned around and gave her a little smile. "Good morning, Aya."

"Good morning," she said tersely and got right to the point. "What am I supposed to do about classes, Ryuuzaki? There's still a month left before the end of term. Are you going to allow me to attend?"

The smile dropped off L's face. "No. I already informed the University that you would be taking an incomplete due to health reasons. You'll be able to make up the exams and assignments once the case is solved."

"You really thought ahead, didn't you?" she asked in a resentful tone.

"Of course. Planning is a part of my job."

"And have you taken an incomplete?"

"No, I dropped out. I already accomplished my goal of getting close to Raito and detaining him. There was no point in staying enrolled any longer," he explained.

"Yeah, I guess you don't need to attend university since you already have a career." Aya stared into his eyes. L's pupils were so large that she could hardly see his dark irises. "Can I use the phone before we get started today?"

"Sure. Follow me." He rose from the chair and headed for the stairs.

Aya had been wondering what was up there and now she was about to find out. It ended up being another work station, with computers and television screens. Watari was sitting in a chair. _*This must be where he is all the time,* _she thought. Aya's eyes went up to the television monitors. Raito was laying on his side, staring seemingly at nothing. Misa stirred on her bed, but the blindfold made it impossible to determine if she was conscious or not. Aya felt a flash of pity for them. _*I would have gone insane by now if I was the one being kept in that room.*_

"Watari, Aya would like to use the phone to call her family," L announced.

The older man turned around and gave her a kind smile. "Of course. The phone is right here," he said, pointing to a black handset on the desk.

"Thank you." Aya still felt uncomfortable around him. She looked at L. "Can I make the call in private please?"

L nodded. "We'll both go downstairs"

Watari switched off the television monitors before leaving. Aya waited until they were gone before sitting down in the chair and dialing her home phone number. Her mother picked up on the fourth ring, slightly out of breath as though she had run to answer it.

"Mum, it's me."

"Aya, thank god! Why did you leave your mobile here? I was so worried when I tried to call you and heard it ringing in your room."

"I'm sorry to worry you. Ryuuzaki thought it was better for me to leave it for security reasons. I'm calling from an untraceable line right now," she said, winding her finger around the phone cord.

"How are you?"

"Good I guess. Things were really hectic yesterday so I didn't have a chance to call until now."

"Are you sleeping alright?"

"Not really. You know how I am about unfamiliar places. I miss my bed." Aya paused before asking hesitantly, "How is daddy feeling about all of this?"

"Well his first reaction was shock. Then he got angry with me. He said I didn't ask enough questions before letting you go, which is true enough. I suppose I was too surprised to even think straight that day. I should have asked what you were going to do about school."

She untangled her finger from the phone cord. "I'm taking a leave of absence. I can make up all the work once the case is solved."

"I don't understand why you can't help with the investigation and still attend classes."

Aya didn't want to admit that she was a suspect. "Mum, it's for safety. Plus things are getting intense around here. Everyone on the team is focusing only on the case for the time being."

"And what about these people you're working with? Are they nice?"

She picked up an expensive looking fountain pen and examined it. "They seem nice enough. I'm sure I'll get along just fine with them."

"Are you the only woman there?" Mrs. Takeda asked worriedly.

"Yes mum, but they're cops so I'm completely safe on that front," she replied patiently.

Aya heard her mother let out a relieved sigh. "I guess your father and sister got me all worked up for nothing."

She laughed. "Yes, that's what they tend to do. They're always over-reacting to every situation that is beyond their control."

"When can you come back and visit?"

Aya bit her lip. "I'm not sure. I'll have to talk things over with Ryuuzaki and let you know the next time I call."

They talked for a few minutes longer before Aya finally hung up the phone. Speaking to her mother made her feel homesick. She had only spent a week away from her family before, and that was many years ago when she was a child attending summer camp. _*Is Ryuuzaki really going to keep me here? Or is what Ryuk said enough to clear me of suspicion in his eyes? I can't imagine not going home for months,* _she thought sadly. Aya felt her eyes misting over, but she blinked back her tears. _*I can't cry right now. If I do, they'll be able to tell and I don't want them to think I'm some kind of unstable, little girl.* _Aya clenched her fists with determination and told herself that she could handle the pressure. She got up from the chair and walked calmly down the stairs to join everyone.

* * *

L told his team that he intended to have Raito touch the Death Note in order to regain his memories.

"I want to see if I can get a confession out of him," he said, though this wasn't the whole truth. L's primary motivation was to witness Raito's reaction. _*What kind of face will he make when he realizes that I've beaten him?* _he asked himself in amusement.

"Well getting a confession would be good, but isn't it too dangerous for him to remember that he's Kira?"

"He'll be restrained, Aihara-san. Ryuk told me that Raito's memories will only last while he's touching the Death Note. So as soon as I take it away, he'll go right back to his ignorant state," L explained. He glanced over at Raito's father, who was looking even more haggard than yesterday. "What are your thoughts about this, Yagami-san?"

The older man rubbed the stubble on his face. "I want to hear what my son says, but it's too soon. I don't think I can handle that right now."

"That's fine, there's no rush. We'll do it whenever you're ready." L looked at the rest of his team. "Now we just have to decide about their punishment. I personally don't think it's safe to trust anyone with the sensitive information we currently have, which leaves me at a loss of what we should do with Raito and Misa."

"Well they can't stay here long term," Matsuda pointed out.

"I know that and it's a big problem. I wish we could trust the Japanese police." He bit his thumbnail pensively.

Aizawa cleared his throat. "I think we're getting ahead of ourselves, Ryuuzaki. Raito and Misa aren't going anywhere, so we can think about what to do with them later on. Our priority right now should be stopping the 3rd Kira."

"You're absolutely correct, Aihara-san. By all means, lets analyze the latest criminal deaths."

Aizawa pulled up a chair and opened the case file. He began reading the particulars out loud. "Their names and photos were all broadcast on the news or on internet sites within Japan, so it looks like this Kira is in the same area. That makes sense because Misa Amane's shinigami wouldn't travel far to find a new person to give the notebook to. All the deaths were heart attacks. I don't see anything that would give us any clues though."

"It's still early. This Kira just started killing, but they'll eventually mess up too." L looked over Aizawa's shoulder at the computer screen. "Times of death occurred on the weekend, which tells us that they either work or they're students. Not much to go on there." L touched his lip thoughtfully. "I think we should also keep track of any other suspicious deaths. This Kira might not be fixated solely on killing criminals. We don't know anything about this person, so we have to be on the look-out for any patterns of behavior," he added.

* * *

It was a slow day. Besides keeping the TV on and the internet news up, they mostly enjoyed each other's company. It was nice to sit around and talk after all of their hard work the past few months.

Ryuk was interested in their interactions. He had never witnessed such human relationships up close before and he felt himself drawn to their friendly behavior. Raito had no need for people. Ryuk had initially found his cold nature very intriguing at first because it didn't really resemble a human's, but now that he was seeing Raito's polar opposites before him, he decided that he liked these people much better. They were amusing. He was looking forward to seeing how they would catch the latest Kira

Ryuk grinned as he watched them. He had made the best possible decision by dropping his Death Note. It was the most excitement he had ever had; the perfect antidote to his perpetual boredom.

* * *

After dinner, the team decided to confront Raito with his guilt and hear what he had to say.

"Raito-kun, we have confirmed that you are Kira," L said into the microphone.

Raito looked towards the camera. "How is that possible when I don't remember?"

"That's easy. You have amnesia."

"And how did you confirm this? Do you have evidence?"

"Yes, we have physical and visual evidence," L replied, taking a handful of chewy strawberry candies.

"You're being vague on purpose. If you're going to tell me that you have evidence, I want to know what kind," Raito said in an annoyed tone.

"I hardly think you're in a position to make demands," L said through a mouthful of food.

"Please tell me! How did I kill people? What murder weapon did I use?" he asked, raising his voice.

L clicked off the microphone. "Should I tell him that?" he asked.

"Why not? He'll remember anyway when you have him touch the Death Note," Aizawa answered.

"Ryuuzaki!" Raito yelled impatiently.

"You killed people by writing their names down in a shinigami's Death Note. I understand that this must be unbelievable for you since you've lost your memories, but we currently have the notebook in our possession."

Raito looked at the camera in disbelief. "You're lying. You just want me to confess. Well I never will because I am not Kira!"

Chief Yagami pushed L's chair out of the way. "Enough Raito! You are Kira and there is no point in these denials anymore!"

"Father? Even you think this of me? That I could actually kill people?"

"Yes! I've seen the proof and it can't be refuted."

"A notebook that kills people? That's ridiculous and you know it! It just isn't logical. Why are you lying about something like this?" Raito was getting even more agitated.

L gently moved Chief Yagami out of the way. "It's not a lie. Think back to what you saw on the news when people were dying instantly on TV. Remember the reports of criminals having heart attacks in prisons minutes apart? That can't logically happen and yet it did," L said calmly.

"I would only believe you if you showed me."

"I intend to, but not yet. I want you to get used to the idea first, to think it over carefully."

"If you're going to tell me that I'm Kira, then you should prove it to me instead of messing with my mind like this!" His voice broke and wavered, and with it, went the rest of his control. "I don't understand what's going on and I can't accept what you say." He took in a few shaky breaths and said, "In my heart I feel that I would never have killed anyone." Tears were spilling out of his eyes now and cascading down his cheeks.

Chief Yagami brought his fist down onto the table and stormed out of the room.

"I'm not a murderer," Raito gasped, falling down on his bed and facing the wall. His body shook with silent sobs and he looked all the more pathetic with his feet and hands shackled.

L turned the screen off.

"That was horrible," Aya said, her hand over her mouth.

Tears were glistening in Matsuda's eyes and even Aizawa looked somber. Mogi was frowning, but it was hard to read his expression since he always looked serious.

"It's only horrible because he doesn't remember. No one feel sorry for him," L told them.

"It's very strange to see Raito so vulnerable." Ryuk piped up. "This is nothing like how he was before."

"Of course it isn't, because the true Raito Yagami is a calculating monster." L frowned when he realized that he could also be talking about himself. "He deserves the pain he's in now. It's probably the only time in his life that he has ever felt anything at all."

* * *

Aya hung back after everyone went to their rooms. She glanced at the shinigami, who was watching them intently. "Ryuk, you don't have to stay here you know."

"Oh, trying to get rid of me are you?" he asked with a chuckle. "I understand. You must want to be alone with your boyfriend."

Aya blushed. "Ryuuzaki isn't my boyfriend. I was only wondering why you haven't left yet."

"He's supposed to stay with the current owner of the Death Note," L explained.

"So he's your shadow now?" she teased. "Does he sleep in your room too?"

"Definitely not. He stays in the room next door." L turned to Ryuk. "Give us a minute please."

"You better kiss her once I've left," he said as he flew through the ceiling.

"Just ignore him. He's obsessed with the idea of romantic relationships for whatever reason," L said nonchalantly.

Aya's face still felt a little warm. "These past few days have been so weird. It's like one long dream."

"Yeah, no kidding. This morning Ryuk was leaning over me and it took me a moment to remember who he was. It was terrifying."

Aya laughed. "I would have been scared too."

"But he's almost like a person despite his appearance."

"Yes, he's not so bad and he may have saved my life," Aya added.

"I should thank him for that."

She looked at L in surprise. "I didn't know you cared."

"Of course I do. Aren't we friends?"

"I thought we were… well before you brought me here anyway."

L sighed. "You're going to keep laying that guilt trip on me, aren't you? Look, you're the first friend I've ever had. I'm sure I could have handled the situation much better than I did, but I'm new at this. I may be good at solving crimes, but I'm not good with people."

"Yeah, you've got that right," she said with a smile.

L's expression relaxed. "That's the first time you've smiled at me since coming here. Does that mean you've forgiven me a little?"

"Not quite," she told him. "I'm afraid you're going to have to keep making it up to me." Aya knew it was emotional blackmail, but she was enjoying the power she had over him right now.

L frowned. "What do you want me to do?"

"Well for one thing, you could lend me a book. I always read before bed and I haven't been able to for two nights now."

"Oh yeah, that's right. Most of my books are in my room. I'll let you pick one out.

* * *

They entered the elevator and L pressed the number 11. He was very conscious of Aya's close proximity and he shoved his hands into his pockets nervously. L glanced sideways at her and saw that she was getting out her chap stick. Ryuk's comment about kissing her came back to him now and his gaze lingered on her lips. _*I wonder what a kiss would feel like.* _L touched his own mouth and turned away, feeling distinctly uncomfortable with the direction that his thoughts had taken. Luckily the elevator stopped a few seconds later and he was able to make a quick exit. L swiped his key card and flipped the light on. As expected, Ryuk was inside.

"It must have gone well if you're bringing her back to your room," he said slyly.

"Are all shinigami as perverted as you are?" L asked, walking over to the sitting area in his suite. There were about 10 books scattered on the coffee table. "If none of them interest you, I can order some online," he told her.

Aya sat down on the couch and started reading the back covers. L had eclectic taste in books and there was a mix of mystery, thriller, fantasy, and even a few literary novels thrown in.

"Have you read this?" she asked, holding up 'Night Watch.'

"Yes, I quite liked it. I'm planning on buying the next few volumes in the series."

"I think I'll take this one then so we can discuss it. Goodnight," she said with a wave in their direction before walking out the door.

"Why did you let her leave so soon?" Ryuk asked.

"It's late and she wants to read."

"Don't you like her? She's an attractive human, though not as pretty as Misa."

"I disagree. Aya has a more simple and natural beauty to her that I prefer. She doesn't talk in an obnoxious, childish voice either. I really have no idea how Raito could stand to be around Misa."

Ryuk laughed. "Raito didn't enjoy it at all, but he had to go along with her because of Rem."

"Hold on a minute. I need to get cleaned up and then I have some more questions for you."

L went into the bathroom to change into pajama bottoms and a short sleeved white T-shirt. He reached into a cabinet drawer and retrieved a stretchy headband, which he used to hold his hair in place as he washed his face. Then he proceeded to brush and floss his teeth; an essential practice for anyone who consumes too much sugar. L had to visit the dentist frequently when he was a kid. Getting cavities filled was a traumatic experience for him, so he made sure to take care of his teeth now.

He exited the bathroom and saw that Ryuk was still waiting for him in the living area. L crouched on his chair and looked at the shinigami. "I was wondering today if this was all part of Raito's plan. What I mean is, did he want me to find Misa's Death Note and meet you?"

"If it was his plan, he never told me."

"So what did he hope to accomplish by burying the Death Note and turning himself in?"

"I'm sure you can figure that out," Ryuk replied.

"Yes, but I'd like to hear it from you. Please indulge my curiosity."

"You read the letter. The memory loss and the 3rd Kira was meant to clear them of suspicion."

"And he was probably hoping I would have eventually let him out of his cell to join the investigation. Am I correct in my thinking?"

"Yes, exactly."

L ran his thumb over his bottom lip. "You've been with Raito almost a year, so why is it that you aren't trying to help him?"

"I've told you that I feel no attachment to Raito. He's provided me with entertainment, but he's been defeated. Loyalty is a trait for humans and animals, not for shinigami."

"If you are the original owner of the Death Note, shouldn't you be trying to stop me since I want to put an end to the murders?"

"No. We shinigami take human lives simply to extend our own, not because we particularly like doing it. Humans are the ones who enjoy killing and power. I'm not going to stop you because I'm interested in your investigative methods. I want to see if you can beat the game that Raito has created for you."

L took his hand away from his mouth and smirked. "Of course I can. I'm already winning, aren't I?" He got up and shuffled over to the coffee table to pick out a book to read. "Thanks for answering my questions, Ryuk. I understand more about you and the other shinigami now."

"No problem, just remember to keep up the daily supply of apples. That is my payment for talking with you."

"Of course. How does six a day sound? Spaced out of course, not all at once."

Ryuk's eyes glittered. "I think that sounds excellent."

* * *

**A/N: This was an L-centric chapter where I wanted to examine his flawed world view. Tsugumi Ohba was quoted as saying that he views L as "slightly evil" so that's going to be something I explore. L's personality is very fascinating to me ^.^  
**

**I feel like my fic can be very intense at times, so I've been using Ryuk to provide some comic relief. I hope it's lightening the mood up a bit! When I was reading over the rules of the Death Note, I found out that shinigami can't have sex. So this might explain Ryuk's interest in romance lol  
**

**Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :D  
**


	10. Masks

**Chapter 10: Masks**

The next few days went by without any progress being made on the case. L didn't particularly mind though, as it gave him time to repair his friendship with Aya. They had a few good discussions about the book 'Night Watch' and she was starting to warm up to him again. Everything was going fine until Matsuda forgot to call Aizawa by his alias. It didn't take Aya long to work out that she had been lied to about their names.

She got up from the couch and looked in L's direction. "So obviously you still consider me a suspect," she said in a tone of forced calm. "I guess it doesn't matter that Ryuk told you I have nothing to do with Raito Yagami." The next few lines were delivered in a much louder voice. "No, you're still going to be stubborn and lie to me because of your damn pride! Well considering that no one here trusts me, I might as well excuse myself from the investigation and remain in my room like the prisoner that I obviously am."

She headed for the elevators, but Matsuda stopped her by grabbing her arm.

"Takeda-san, I do trust you and I'll tell you my name to prove it," he said spontaneously.

She glanced over her shoulder at him. "It doesn't matter because I have no way of knowing if the name you give me is the truth or not."

"I'll show you my badge," he insisted. "It's in my room right now, but I can go and get it."

She shrugged off his hand. "Don't bother. I don't care anymore." Aya pressed the button to the elevator and was gone a moment later.

L heaved a sigh. "Matsuda-san, you are truly an idiot."

"Shut up! It just slipped out, alright? I don't know how you expected us to keep up the aliases the whole time anyway when we've always called each other by our real names before."

"I don't call Watari by his real name and he doesn't call me by mine," L pointed out.

"Secrecy comes easy to you, but we aren't used to it."

"You better get used to it unless you want to end up dead." L turned around in his chair to face the computer screen. "Honestly Matsuda-san, you must be insane to offer up your badge like that."

"It's not insane to trust people, Ryuuzaki," he shot back. "And anyway, Ryuk said that she isn't involved, so stop treating her like a suspect!"

L gave a dry laugh. "You actually believe the word of a shinigami?"

"Hey, I already told you that shinigami don't have a reason to lie," Ryuk broke in.

L ignored him. "I have no problem with anyone in this room giving Aya their last name, but I strongly suggest keeping your first name to yourself as a precaution." L glanced at Matsuda, who was still visibly upset. "You've complicated things, not only for myself, but for this investigation. Keeping the peace within our team is extremely important to our productivity. All the progress I've made over the past few days has been erased because of your blunder. Now I'll be forced to do things that I'm not comfortable with to try and alleviate the situation."

It was impossible for Matsuda to hide his feelings. A look of guilt came over his face. "I'm sorry. It was an honest mistake, Ryuuzaki."

"I know it was, but an apology can't turn back time." L's head began to pound. He needed more caffeine and sugar. "We won't get any work done with this bad atmosphere. Everyone's dismissed for the day." He stuck his hands in his pockets and made his way over to the elevator. Ryuk floated after him.

"So what are you going to do now, L?"

"I'm going to get something to eat so my brain can function again." He pressed the button for the 2nd floor. "And don't call me L."

"Why not? That's your real name. I can clearly see it above your head."

L had no personal attachment to his name because he didn't have a family to give it any kind of significance. Saying that out loud would sound too pathetic, so L only gave him a partial truth. "The name you're born with doesn't define who you are," he replied, "It's just something that goes on a birth certificate so that the government can keep track of their citizens. Names can be shed just like clothes and the name I've chosen for now is Ryuuzaki."

"That's an interesting opinion you have, and while it may apply to humans, it doesn't apply to shinigami. We can take away a life by having a name." Ryuk chuckled and said, "You can hide behind your aliases all you want, but I can see you, L. Lawliet."

He glared up at the shinigami. "Don't ever say my full name around other people."

Ryuk grinned. "Not to worry. I'll keep your secret."

* * *

Aya wasn't entirely surprised that the names they had given her were aliases. She had expected it, but having her suspicions confirmed made her angrier than she imagined. _*I'm sure they gave the aliases based on Ryuuzaki's orders, but that doesn't make me feel any better.* _She had always hated being lied to, and for some reason, she never expected dishonesty from other people. Aya realized now how naïve a person she still was. _*And immature,* _she added, remembering how she had stormed out.

She opened the window in her living room so she could feel the air. *_I haven't been outside in almost a week… I've never stayed indoors this long before.* _Aya knew that she wasn't going to remain in her room despite what she had said to them. _*I don't have as much pride as Ryuuzaki. I'm not going to stay apart from the investigation just because my feelings are hurt. Like it or not, I have to rely on them for my well being.*_

Aya sat on the window ledge and watched the scene below. Seeing people going about their daily lives helped her feel that she was still a part of the world; although being a spectator was also incredibly lonely. It reminded her of how alien she had felt when her family first moved to Japan. Despite the language lessons that Aya had been taking since the age of five, she had a hard time keeping up with classes spoken entirely in Japanese. Her homeroom teacher had paired her up with one of the class reps to help her take notes, but the girl wasn't very friendly and got annoyed whenever she asked too many questions. Aya's grades weren't good the first couple of months and she didn't have any friends to hang around with. Most everyone had treated her like a weird foreigner. Aya could vividly remember sitting alone at lunch while some girls a few desks away talked rudely about her.

"_Be quiet, she can hear you," one of them hissed._

_Another girl laughed and said, "She probably can't even understand us."_

_But Aya understood everything they said, including that she was stupid and that a boy named Kai Suzuki only liked her because she was half white._

"_Wait, she is? I can't tell from here."_

"_Yeah, her mother is English. Look at her the next time she takes off her glasses in gym. You'll be able to see it then."_

"_Hmm, now that you mention it, her nose is kind of big."_

_They all laughed and Aya could feel them looking in her direction. Her face burned at their insults, and as much as she had wanted to run out of the room, she stayed at her desk and quietly ate her food. They switched to a new subject a minute later and Aya got up to throw away her trash. She could feel tears in her eyes as she headed for the restroom._

Aya developed a complex about her Western features because of that particular event. Her glasses became a kind of mask; something that hid her true identity from others. Unlike her sister who took advantage of her looks in order to land a modeling job, Aya feared attracting attention. She was perfectly satisfied with her bookish appearance if it meant avoiding negative comments from others.

Luckily her school life got better when she met Kumiko Nakazawa, a second year girl who got her to join the tea club. Everyone there had been very welcoming and her Japanese steadily improved by socializing with them.

Aya was roused out of her memories when a knock sounded on the door. She stayed where she was though.

After a few seconds, Ryuk appeared inside. "Yo," he said.

"What do you want, Ryuk?" she asked.

"Ryuuzaki wants to talk to you. He has an offer that I think you'll like."

Aya frowned. "What is it?"

"If you're curious, you have to open the door for him," he replied secretively.

"Fine." She gave in and walked across the room. Aya opened the door to see L smiling serenely at her.

"So do you want to play some tennis?"

Her eyes widened. "Are you serious? I can go outside?"

He nodded. "This is my way of letting you know that you aren't a prisoner." L glanced down at her dress and leggings. "You should probably put on some clothes that are easier to move in."

Aya couldn't stop herself from grinning as she hurried towards her bedroom to change.

* * *

When Aya, L, and Ryuk went downstairs, Moji and Matsui were waiting for them. Both men had on shorts, T-shirts, and sneakers, so Aya assumed they would be playing tennis as well.

Matsui walked over, looking especially boyish in his athletic clothes. "My name is Matsuda, so please call me that from now on," he said quickly, giving her an apologetic look.

Moji stood beside his co-worker and the difference between them was rather remarkable. While Matsuda could pass for a student, Moji could be mistaken for a professional athlete. He was surprisingly tanned and well muscled, with the build of a football player. The suits that he usually wore gave him an older, more stern appearance that Aya had found unapproachable. _*But now he just looks cool,* _she thought, staring at him.

"I'm Mogi," he said in his reserved way.

L headed for the main door. "Mogi-san, we'll need to go to a sporting goods store to buy tennis rackets first. Watari gave me the address so we can put it in your GPS."

"Alright," he replied, following after L and Ryuk.

Aya turned to Matsuda. "Watari isn't coming with us?"

"No. Someone has to remain at headquarters to monitor Misa and Raito."

"Where are Yagami-san and Aizawa-san?"

"They went home to their families. They rarely stay here."

_*That's another thing Ryuuzaki lied to me about… the only person on the team who can't come and go is me,* _Aya thought in annoyance.

Both of them walked through the metal detector and Matsuda stopped at the safe to retrieve his car keys.

"You'll be riding with me. There won't be any room in Mogi's car with Ryuk in the backseat."

"Oh alright, that's fine."

They entered the garage and saw Ryuk trying to squeeze into the car. He had to hunch his body into a very uncomfortable looking pose to fit inside. Aya tried not to laugh as they passed by.

"Matsuda-san, here's the address for the sporting goods store," L said, walking over to them. He glanced at Aya and then back at Matsuda, frowning slightly. "Make sure you don't get lost."

Matsuda sighed. "I'm not going to get lost. I have a GPS too."

"Don't drive recklessly either," L added.

"I happen to be a very good driver," Matsuda replied with a defensive edge to his voice. "Honestly Ryuuzaki, I'm a year older than you and yet you treat me like a kid. I don't appreciate that."

"Hmm, well try and be a little more reliable then."

"He really pisses me off sometimes," Matsuda grumbled once L was out of earshot. He clicked the button on his key ring to unlock his car.

Aya silently agreed with his statement, although she couldn't feel angry with L at the moment; not when he was letting her leave headquarters for a few hours.

Matsuda pulled open the passenger door for her. He even held out her seat belt and closed the door once she was secured safely inside.

"I'm sorry about how I acted today," Aya said when he was sitting beside her. "It was very childish of me to throw a fit like that. I've just been so stressed out and tense since coming here."

Matsuda started the car and the radio turned on automatically. He lowered the sound and said, "I understand, there's no need to apologize. It's been a hard week for everyone. I think that's why Ryuuzaki wants us to play tennis… to blow off some steam, you know?" He punched the address into his GPS navigator.

"Yeah. I think that will help."

The song "Paradise" by Coldplay came on the radio. Mogi's car pulled out a few moments later and Matsuda followed behind. Aya blinked her eyes as they emerged into the sunlight. Matsuda rolled the windows down; something that Aya would normally have objected to because she hated the stink of car exhaust in the city. However, this time she welcomed the smell because it meant freedom. She stuck her hand out the window as they drove down the street. Aya used to do that all the time when she was little. Happy memories of driving through the English countryside with her family came back to her now.

"I really like this song. Can you raise it up, Matsuda-san?"

"Of course."

Aya sang along quietly; face turned towards the window so that she could feel the breeze. She closed her eyes and smiled. _*It's kind of amazing how drastically things can change in such a short amount of time,* _she mused.

* * *

They were on a park tennis court about forty-five minutes later. Aya and Matsuda had larger rackets since they were beginners. Mogi already knew how to play, so he had the same standard size racket as L.

"Mogi-san, you go over to that court and teach Matsuda-san the basics. I'll teach Aya on this one."

Mogi and Matsuda walked away, leaving Aya alone with L. Ryuk had wandered off to observe a match on the court next to them, where two young boys were playing against each other.

L opened up a can of yellow balls. "So lets start with serving. You already know the rule about keeping it in the box, right?"

"Of course. I am a tennis fan," she reminded him.

"Okay then. Just watch my form and try to imitate me."

He bounced the ball a few times, tossed it up in the air, and hit it easily. L demonstrated a few more times before Aya tried it out for herself. She hit the net with her first try, but made it over with her second, though it was outside of the service box. She missed the toss a few times which made her laugh with embarrassment. L even grinned at that, but instead of teasing her, he continued to give her advice.

"Line up your ball and racket before serving. This will help you judge the distance better," he told her. "And try not to toss it up so high."

L showed her what he meant and Aya copied his move, making it over the net. It took her about ten or eleven serves before she got the hang of it completely.

"You're doing good." He handed her a bottle of water, which she gladly took.

Aya was wearing a short sleeve shirt and capri pants, yet she was already sweating. Even though it was a warm day, most of her fatigue could be blamed on being out of shape.

"You'll be hurting all over tomorrow," L told her. "Your arms and legs especially. Hard courts are the most punishing surface. I prefer grass and clay since they're easier on the body."

"Yeah I remember hearing that before," she replied, setting down her water.

"You want to try hitting the ball to each other now?"

Aya nodded and fixed her ponytail while she waited for him to walk across the court.

L tried to keep his shots in the same area so that she wouldn't have to run very much. Ryuk came over while this was going on and called out encouraging words to her.

"Hold up," she yelled over to L. "I need to rest for a few minutes." Aya sat with her back against the fence and drank more of her water. She got a towel out of the gym bag and took off her glasses so that she could wipe her face. When she put them back on, L was crouching beside her and staring.

"What is it?" she asked nervously.

"Nothing. I've just never seen you without glasses before."

She got out her chap stick and ran it over her lips. After a moment she said, "I look bad without them."

"I highly doubt that. Here, let me see," L said, reaching towards her face.

Aya pushed his hand away. "Stop it."

"Sorry," L muttered, looking down at his hand.

_*Oh yeah, he doesn't like to be touched. I wonder if he's one of those people who has a serious germ phobia.* _She examined his hands, but she didn't see any dry, red skin which was the trade mark of people suffering from compulsive hand washing.

"I'm glad I decided to teach you tennis today and not wait until the case is over with," he said, changing the subject.

His words brought her out of her reverie. "Yeah me too because who knows when that will be."

* * *

Now that Ryuk was currently occupied with watching Matsuda and Mogi, L knew that it was time to take advantage of his moment alone with Aya.

"Can I ask you something that's been bothering me for a while now?"

"Go ahead," she said, looking at him.

"Why did you offer to help me with the case?"

Aya sighed. "I already told you that."

"Because of your sense of justice?" L asked in clarification.

"Yes."

"I have a hard time believing it's that simple."

Aya narrowed her eyes at him. "Why shouldn't you believe it? Don't you feel strongly about justice too?"

"Not especially," he replied.

She looked at him in surprise. "What do you mean? You're L, you're the detective who said on TV that you are justice. So how can you not feel strongly about it?"

"Well yes, I am justice in that I stop criminals, but I'm not idealistic about it. To the police, justice is following the laws, but I don't work for any government organizations which means that I'm not a subscriber to their beliefs. Solving cases is my hobby, Aya, and I've done some pretty devious things to close them out. There's nothing more thrilling to me than when I outsmart my opponent and bring them down." He stroked his lip, deep in thought. "I guess for other people, the feeling would be similar to defeating a video game, winning a sports championship, or acing an exam." L glanced back at her. "The world might think of me as a heroic detective, but in actuality I'm just an immature man who hates to lose."

A smile came over her face. "Wow, this is the first time that you've been completely honest with me about something."

His eyes widened at her reaction. Righteous indignation was the usual response he received from others when they heard his true reason for being a detective. "Aren't you going to tell me that I'm a messed up person?" he asked.

She shook her head. "Why would I? Regardless of your motives, you've made the world a safer place by solving so many horrific crimes. I mean, not everyone goes into their profession with pure intentions. Just think of all the egotistical politicians or scientists who want power and fame." Aya paused, searching for the right words. "But if those people can produce results that impact society in a positive way, does it really matter why they're doing something?"

"No. I guess it doesn't." L wasn't sure what to say. Hearing her words had overwhelmed him.

"Look, I know that being suspicious is as natural to you as breathing, but I want you to trust me. Since you opened up to me, I'm going to do the same now." She pulled off her glasses, turning her head away so that she could set them on the ground beside her.

When Aya finally looked at him, L was struck by the vulnerable quality her face had without glasses. Her eyes looked much larger now that they weren't obscured by lenses and when she blinked, he noticed how long her lashes were.

Aya took a deep breath and said, "I don't work for Raito or Misa or anyone else except for you. The only thing I want is to see every single Kira punished for their crimes. I hope you can tell that I'm not lying to you."

Her expression was one of perfect sincerity and L felt very uncomfortable. He suddenly wished that she would put her glasses back on. _*It's like her eyes are looking deep inside of me… and I'd prefer that she not discover how much I want to believe her.*_

"Hmmm, this looks like quite a serious moment." Ryuk chuckled overhead. "Did one of you confess your feelings or something?"

Both of them jumped at the shinigami's words.

After regaining his composure, L replied, "That's really none of your business."

Aya hurriedly reached for her glasses and had them back on within seconds. She got up from the ground, looking quite pink in the face. L watched as she took a gulp of water.

Matsuda and Mogi were heading in their direction now.

"Hey Ryuuzaki, can we switch partners? I want to play with another beginner for a little while," Matsuda said.

Instead of being annoyed at the suggestion, L felt rather relieved. He knew that something significant had just occurred between the two of them and it made him want to temporarily escape from it.

"Sure, as long as Aya doesn't mind," L told him.

She smiled in Matsuda's direction and said, "I don't mind."

"Maybe we should wait a few minutes. You look overheated."

"I'm fine," she insisted, retrieving her racket from the ground. "Come on, lets see what we've learned today."

L watched as they walked off together.

"I doubt that up I'm up to your level," Mogi said, "but I'd love to play a set against you."

He turned his attention towards Mogi. "Sounds great," he said, rising to his feet.

"I wish I could play tennis," Ryuk said enviously.

"Sorry but a levitating racket would cause way too much attention," L replied, taking a sip from his water bottle.

"I know," the shinigami grumbled.

"Tell you what, I'll give you an extra apple when we get home."

Ryuk cheered up considerably at those words, which amused L. _*I'm getting good at keeping everyone around me happy.*_

* * *

Matsuda's goofy behavior and lack of skill made Aya briefly forget about the embarrassing moment she just had with L.

"Takeda-san, you're much better than me at this," he said with a laugh when he missed a serve.

"Please stop calling me Takeda-san. It's way too strange."

"Can I call you Aya-chan then?"

"Sure, that would be fine," she replied.

Matsuda grinned at her and actually delivered a decent serve that Aya was able to return.

They played for around twenty minutes and then took a break to watch L and Mogi battling against each other. For such a big man, Mogi could move pretty fast. L was making him run all over the court. Eventually the rally came to an end with an overhead smash from L.

"You're not going easy on me, are you?" Mogi called across the net.

"No, sorry. I always play aggressively."

Mogi wiped his face on the sleeve of his shirt and smiled. Aya was impressed that he was taking it so well.

They played two more service games; one of which Mogi managed to win. Ryuk called out the final score, which was 6 games for L and 2 games for Mogi.

"As expected, Ryuuzaki is just way too good," Matsuda commented.

"Mogi-san held his own those last couple of games though. I think it was much closer than the score indicates," she said, getting up from the sidelines.

Matsuda reached his hand out. "Will you help me up, Aya-chan? I feel like an old man because I can't move right now."

She laughed, grabbing his hand and hauling him to his feet.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome, Jii-san," Aya teased, using the polite form of 'grandfather.'

She started walking over to her tennis bag and saw that L was looking in her direction with a strange expression on his face. His eyes were narrowed and he was scowling. If Aya was reading the signs correctly, she'd call that jealousy.

L looked past her and said, "Hey Matsuda-san, mind if I ride in the car with you on the way home?"

Matsuda looked bewildered at the suggestion. "Uh, I guess not."

"Good. Make sure you impress me with those excellent driving skills you told me about before."

Aya hid her face with her towel and tried not to laugh. All the awkwardness she felt at taking off her glasses was now completely gone. Aya was very amused at L's behavior. _*I never thought he would be the type to get jealous! Hmm, maybe he isn't such a lost cause after all…* _She packed up her racket and headed towards Mogi, who was taking a long drink of water.

"Mogi-san, Ryuuzaki wants me to ride in the car with you. I hope that's alright."

"Sure it is."

"I was really impressed with your play today," she complimented.

"Oh, it was nothing special. I got beat soundly."

"Don't dismiss yourself. You had some excellent shots!"

Mogi touched his hair in a sheepish way. "That's nice of you to say. Thank you, Takeda-san."

"You're welcome," she said with a smile.

_*It's really true what they say about bonding while playing sports,* _she thought as the five of them crossed the street. "I hope we can do this again sometime," Aya said conversationally.

Matsuda grinned. "Yeah me too! I had fun."

As usual, L was the voice of reason. "If the investigation continues to be slow then it's a possibility," he told them. "I need some food to re-fuel myself. Lets stop at that restaurant up the street."

They all agreed to the suggestion.

Before going their separate ways, Aya touched L's arm, leaned close to him, and said, "Thanks for today" in a quiet tone. She wasn't brave enough to wait for his reaction, so she let go of his arm and walked off without a backwards glance.

* * *

Everyone ate meals except for L, who only ordered large fries and a chocolate shake.

"This is the best combination known to man," L said, eating a fry and taking a sip of his shake so that both flavors were mixed together in his mouth.

Matsuda made a face. "That's nasty, Ryuuzaki. If I ate that, I'd probably get sick."

"That's because I have a stronger stomach than you." L couldn't help it; he loved antagonizing Matsuda.

"Well I wouldn't want to have your stomach," Matsuda insisted. "If you keep eating the way you do, you're going to get diabetes."

"No, that won't happen. Type 2 diabetes is caused by being overweight. And as you can see, I'm not fat."

"That might be true," Aya said, "but eating so much sugar isn't exactly healthy."

"Oh well. I need my sweets to survive." L finished his fries and shake, but he still felt hungry. "I think I'll go order an apple pie now. Does anyone else want one?"

They all replied in the negative.

"I still don't understand where you put all that food when you're so damn skinny," Matsuda said.

L smirked. "Who knows. It's just one of the many mysteries in this world." He went to stand in line and Ryuk followed after him.

"It looks like you're having a good time today, Ryuuzaki."

"I am," he replied. The girl in front of him turned around and gave him a look.

Ryuk let out a loud laugh. "She thinks you're crazy."

He shrugged his shoulders. _*That's nothing new.* _Wherever L went, his physical appearance made others do a double take. Their stares had always made him feel self conscious before, but now he no longer cared._ *At least there's a few people who accept me for who I am,* _he thought, reaching into his pocket for his chap stick. L had friends for the first time in his life and it was a nice feeling.

* * *

**A/N: I initially never planned for this chapter, but after giving L his time to shine last week, I wanted to focus more on Aya this time around. And then as soon as I got them outside of headquarters, I realized that everyone was showing their true selves, not just Aya. So that's why I titled the chapter 'Masks.' Playing tennis allowed them to just have fun and let their guards down. I hope you enjoyed the chapter!**


	11. Confrontation

**Chapter 11: Confrontation**

**Late June**

Aya opened her eyes and didn't recognize her surroundings. She was in a windowless room and laying on a bed with a canopy over it. She sat up and felt dizzy as though she had been drugged. The first thing she noticed was a massive metal door. There was a segmented area towards the bottom that reminded her of a mail slot. She made her way over to it on unsteady feet and realized that there was no knob.

"How am I supposed to get out of here?" she said out loud.

Aya looked around the rest of the room and saw a tall wooden wardrobe and a folding screen decorated with flowers, trees, and birds that took up almost an entire wall. She walked over to the folding screen first. Behind it was a toilet, claw foot bathtub, pedestal sink, and a chair that was stacked high with peach colored towels. She turned on the tap and splashed her face with some cold water. Aya felt more awake as she headed for the wardrobe. She pulled open the doors to reveal a row of old fashioned looking dresses.

Aya glanced up at the ceiling and noticed a camera mounted in the corner of the room. She stood underneath it and yelled, "Who the hell are you? Let me out of here you freak!" She screamed many more things besides this until her voice gave out. Aya collapsed on her bed in exhaustion. A few minutes later, the tiny mail slot door opened with a loud, metallic screech. She raised her head from the pillow and watched as a tray of food was pushed inside her room. The tray contained sandwiches, two chocolate chip cookies, and a bottle of water. Aya drank the water to soothe her sore throat, but she didn't touch the food in case it had been poisoned.

This ritual was repeated three times, but Aya continued to avoid the food despite being extremely hungry. Finally a man's voice came over an intercom. He said, "Please eat your food. Nothing has been done to it."

"I don't believe you. Why are you keeping me here?"

There was silence on the other end. Almost a minute went by before he replied, "Because you're my pet. Once you learn obedience, I'll let you out to play."

Aya kept track of time by counting the trays of food. She was starving by the eighth tray and gave in to her survival instincts. The voice came over the intercom and said, "That's a good girl. Keep eating like that and I'll come and visit you soon."

She felt absolutely disgusted with herself, but her will to live was much stronger than her ego.

Five trays later, the man rewarded her by opening the door. He wore a tengu mask and a long black trench coat.

"Hello Aya, you look very beautiful in that dress. How about going for a walk around the house? Won't that be nice?" he asked in a softened tone, the kind you might use with a child.

She wanted to see what was outside of the room, so she didn't put up a fight as he handcuffed her. He linked his arm through hers and led her into the hall. The curtains were open and Aya could see a deep blue sky which told her that it was evening. They passed many closed doors and eventually came to a large staircase. Aya realized now that her kidnapper lived in a mansion.

"I've prepared a tea party for you upstairs." He let out a low laugh and said, "Well, we're the only guests, so I guess I shouldn't call it a party. I hope you'll like it though."

The man started ascending the staircase and Aya had no choice but to follow. She felt nervous at not being able to hold onto the safety railing. The stairs seemed endless as she climbed. Her legs began to weaken from lack of exercise and she wobbled slightly.

"My poor little bird, I've made you too frail." He slipped his arm around her back. "Here, lean on me. I'll support you."

When they got to the landing, he stopped so that she could rest for a moment.

"We'll have to go on walks like this every day so you can get your strength back."

"Why are you doing this? Please don't keep me locked up anymore. Just let me go home," Aya implored, looking into the blank eyes of his mask.

"I only want to take care of you. This is your home now," he told her.

"You're not taking care of me, you're keeping me prisoner!"

"It won't always be like this. The better behaved you are, the more freedoms you will earn. So keep being a good girl, Aya. Okay?"

She started crying at his words.

"I hate seeing you so miserable," he said, wiping her face with a handkerchief. "You'll break my heart with these tears."

She stepped back to try and get away from him.

"Aya, stop!"

But it was too late; she was already falling backwards down the flight of stairs.

Aya awoke with a gasp and tumbled out of her bed. She tried to break her fall and a pain shot through her wrist. She lay there on the floor, heart hammering loudly, as she cradled her left hand against her chest. Tears welled up in her eyes and she let them slip down her cheeks. _*Am I crying because of the pain or because of the nightmare?* _she wondered as she brushed her tears away with her right hand. Aya was able to get up from the floor a minute later.

_*Ice, that's what I need,* _she said to herself as she headed for the kitchen. Aya wrapped the ice cubes in a towel and sat on the couch. She had broken her arm as a child and the level of pain she had felt then far surpassed what she was feeling now. Once her wrist was sufficiently numb, Aya removed the towel. _*It doesn't look so bad. I think I just sprained it.* _She glanced out the window and saw that the sun was just beginning to rise. The clock on the cable box read 4:28 AM. Aya put the ice back on her wrist and closed her eyes.

She dozed on the couch, waking only when water starting dripping down her arm. Aya threw the wet towel into the sink. There was a dull throb in her wrist, so she ate a handful of crackers and then took some pain medication. It was almost 5 AM by the time she climbed back into bed.

Aya wondered why she would have such a dream. _*Do I subconsciously feel like I'm some kind of pet? If that's true, then that makes Ryuuzaki the man wearing the tengu mask.* _She didn't like that idea at all, but there was no denying that L was allowing her the freedom to go outside as long as he accompanied her. Since playing tennis, Aya had gone to a bakery and out shopping to pick up necessities. When L saw her touching a fuzzy, teal colored blanket, he offered to buy it for her. And she had let him because she wanted it to brighten up her all white room. _*That's another thing… when did I start to consider this my room? This place isn't my home.* _Aya felt very conflicted as she drifted back to sleep.

* * *

Her wrist was still bothering her when she went downstairs. It was after 12 PM and everyone was already assembled in the main room. Aya greeted them with a tired smile.

"Aya-chan, is something wrong? Do you feel sick?" Matsuda asked with concern.

She had been holding her left hand against her stomach without realizing it. "Oh no, it's just my wrist. I think I sprained it."

Matsuda hurried over to her. "What? How did you do that?"

Everyone was looking at her. "Umm, well it's kind of embarrassing, but I fell out of bed."

"Are you alright?" Aizawa asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I put ice on it and took some pain medication before coming down here."

"You should have it bandaged, Takeda-san," Chief Yagami told her. He looked at L, who was still sitting in his computer chair. "Ryuuzaki, do you have a first aid kit somewhere?"

"Yes, it's on the second floor." He got up and walked towards Aya. "I'll get it for you," he told her as he passed by on the way to the elevator.

"Aya-chan, come sit down," Matsuda said, putting an arm around her shoulder and leading her towards the couch. "Why did you fall out of bed?"

She sat beside Matsuda. "It was stupid really. I had a nightmare and when I woke up, I was really disoriented."

"Oh I've done that before. I had this scary dream once that a man was chasing me with a knife. Was someone chasing you too?"

"Matsuda, will you stop being so nosy!" Aizawa scolded from his computer chair.

"I'm sorry, Aya-chan. I guess I shouldn't pry," he said sheepishly.

She shook her head. "No, it's alright. I don't mind talking about it." Aya began her narration. Matsuda interrupted every now and then with an exclamation. "I was trying to get away from him and I ended up falling down the stairs. That's when I woke up."

"Hmmm, what a frightening dream," Ryuk commented from behind her.

Aya jumped. She hadn't even realized that the shinigami was there. _*That's just great… now he'll probably end up telling Ryuuzaki,* _she thought uncomfortably.

* * *

The elevator doors opened and L came over with the first aid kit. "Matsuda-san, please move so I can bandage Aya's wrist. I'd appreciate it if you could get started on analyzing the latest criminal deaths."

Matsuda sighed and got up. "Yes, boss."

L sat down in his vacant spot and opened the first aid kit. He got out a rolled up white bandage. "Aya, will you hold out your arm for me? I want to make sure that it's only a sprain before I do anything else."

She bit her lip and did as he asked.

"I've hurt myself playing tennis before so I have some experience in this," he explained. Aya's wrist was very slender and delicate._ *It's no wonder she hurt herself so easily,* _he thought as he took her wrist in his hand. He could feel her pulse racing as he conducted the examination. "Does it hurt when I do this?" he asked as he gently bent her wrist.

"Not too bad," she replied.

"Good, then nothing is broken. It should start to feel better in a few days as long as you keep applying ice and taking anti-inflammatory medication." L began to wrap her wrist and hand. "Let me know if this is too tight. I don't want to cut off your circulation." He secured the bandage with a silver pin and admired his handiwork. "There you go," he said with a little smile, looking up at her.

Aya had a serious expression on her face that took him off guard. "Thank you," she said and got up from the couch.

"Did I do something wrong?" he asked Ryuk as he watched her walk away.

"She's probably still upset about her nightmare. That's why she fell out of bed."

L frowned. "What kind of nightmare?"

Ryuk bent his head down and said in a lowered voice, "Some freak wearing a mask was keeping her locked up. He was training her to be obedient like an animal and he referred to her as his 'pet.' Do you think of Aya that way, Ryuuzaki?"

"Of course I don't. What the hell kind of question is that?" he hissed.

"Dreams give insight into a person's fears, don't they? I think Aya is starting to feel very trapped here."

"But I'm not doing anything bad to her. She's even been going outside lately," L reasoned. "I'm being nice, aren't I?"

"Is putting someone on a leash being nice?"

His eyes widened. "I've never done that."

"I'm speaking metaphorically of course. You let her go out as long as you're supervising her. Isn't that what humans do when they take their dogs for a walk?"

"You may have a point, but that is not my intention."

"If you keep this up, Aya's going to start hating you." Ryuk gestured over to Aya and Matsuda, who were laughing about something. "You know, she might end up falling for him."

"That will never happen," he said with conviction.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that," Ryuk replied with a laugh. He hit L on the shoulder and then headed for the computers to see what the others were doing.

L got into his thinking pose and considered the shinigami's words. _*Maybe I haven't been fair to Aya… but it's because I'm still not sure about her. So what can I do to ease my mind?* _L chewed on his thumbnail, deep in thought. An idea came to him a minute later. _*Yes, that might actually work! It's worth a shot anyway.*_

He got up from the couch, shoved his hands into his pockets, and walked towards the desk that Chief Yagami was sitting at.

"Yagami-san, do I have permission to question your son?"

A hush fell over the room as they all waited for his response.

Chief Yagami took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. He sighed, put his glasses back on, and said, "Yes. We should probably get it over with."

"Thank you, Yagami-san." He turned to the shinigami. "Ryuk, is there a way for Raito to see you without his memories returning?"

"Yeah. You can just rip out a piece of paper from the Death Note and have him touch that."

"But I thought we wanted his memory to come back?" Aizawa asked in confusion.

"We do, but first I want to see his reaction when he learns that shinigami actually exist. Raito believes in his innocence now, but I want him to start questioning himself."

Aizawa furrowed his eyebrows. "Isn't that a bit sadistic, Ryuuzaki?"

"Is it? I have other motivations for having Raito see Ryuk besides my own pleasure though." He reached for a cupcake on a tall, silver dessert tray and began peeling off the foil wrapper. "We're essentially dealing with someone who has a split personality, so we need to get baseline readings of both versions of himself. It will be helpful to compare Raito's behavior in a before and after situation."

L took a bite of the cupcake, which turned out to be red velvet with vanilla frosting. "Has anyone tried these? They taste amazing," he commented with his mouth full. L devoured it within thirty seconds. After licking his fingers clean, he turned to Aya. "Can I show Raito a picture of you? I want to see if he remembers who you are."

"I guess so, but please don't mention my name," Aya replied.

"I won't."

"When do you want to start the interrogation, Ryuuzaki?" Chief Yagami asked.

He reached for another cupcake. "After I finish eating this."

* * *

L was crouched on an armchair in one of the many vacant rooms, waiting for Watari to arrive with Raito Yagami. Cameras were set up to cover every angle and there were microphones that would make it possible for the other team members to listen in on the proceedings.

_*It's hard to believe that this is a dangerous murder weapon,* _L thought as he thumbed through the blank pages. _*All I'd have to do is write down Raito's name and then I'd be through with Kira. It would be so easy…*_

"You're thinking about using it, aren't you?" Ryuk asked, leaning over his shoulder.

"I didn't know shinigami were mind readers," L replied.

Ryuk grinned. "We're not, but I know how tempting the Death Note is for human beings."

He closed the cover, making sure that Raito's letter and Aya's picture were safely tucked away at the back of the notebook. "Being tempted is one thing, but acting on an impulse is something else entirely. Even I have limits that I won't cross."

"Hmm, so you have self control now?"

L narrowed his eyes. "When it comes to murder, I do."

"Is working with the police rubbing off on you, L?" Ryuk teased.

"I thought I told you to stop calling me L."

The door opened and Watari entered the room with a handcuffed Raito Yagami, who was shuffling slowly due to the shackles around his ankles.

"Hello Raito-kun, how are you today?" L greeted, hopping down off the chair.

"How do you think I am?" Raito asked sarcastically. "I'm shitty."

"Well we can't have that, can we? I'll do my best to cheer you up, Raito-kun. Please have a seat," he said, pointing to a straight backed chair. "I want you to be comfortable while I'm questioning you."

Ryuk let out a bark of laughter at their exchange. "This is gonna be great."

"Watari, if you could stand beside Raito-kun's chair please. I doubt that he will have to be restrained, but I'd prefer if you stayed here just in case."

"Of course, Ryuuzaki," the older man said, taking his place beside Raito.

"There's nothing for me to say. As I've told you, I'm completely innocent."

"Then allow me to show you something that will refute that statement." L got out Misa's letter from the back of the notebook. He held it before Raito's eyes. "This is your handwriting, correct?"

Raito examined the piece of paper and his eyes widened in surprise. "It looks like mine, but I have no memory of writing this!"

"As I explained before, you are suffering from amnesia." L pulled out the picture of Aya next. He had scanned her student ID and enlarged the photo to make it easier to see. "Do you recognize this girl?"

"She looks familiar. I think she's in one of my classes." A concerned expression came over his face. "Did something happen to her?"

L ignored his question and asked one of his own. "Do you remember her name?"

He shook his head. "I'm not exactly sure. I have a lot of female acquaintances at university."

L placed the letter and the picture on the armchair. He turned back to face Raito and showed him the notebook. "This is the Death Note I was telling you about before. You write a person's name inside and they die from heart attacks within 40 seconds. This particular notebook was used by the 2nd Kira, Misa Amane, who also happens to be your girlfriend. Do you deny this?"

"Yes I deny it! I have no knowledge of her being the 2nd Kira and she's not my girlfriend either! If anything, she's my stalker."

"That's kind of strange, don't you think? Usually it's regular people who stalk celebrities, not the other way around. So how exactly did a commoner like you meet Misa Amane?"

"She just showed up at my house one night and kept going on and on about how she fell in love with me at first sight. It was really creepy. So actually, her being the 2nd Kira wouldn't surprise me all that much. But I refuse to believe that crap about notebooks having the power to kill people."

"Perhaps I could convince you if I showed you a shinigami," L said with a smirk. He tore off the corner of a page and touched Raito's hand with it.

Raito swore loudly and fell out of the chair.

Ryuk cackled in amusement. "Yo."

"What the hell is that?!"

"This is Ryuk. He used to be your shinigami before you relinquished your Death Note and lost your memories," L explained. "Ryuk, why don't you help him up?"

"Sure thing." The shinigami hoisted Raito from the floor and set him back on the chair.

"I must be hallucinating." Raito closed his eyes and muttered, "This isn't real. This can't be real. You must have done something to me!" His eyes snapped back open. "Ryuuzaki, did you put something in my food?"

"No. That's definitely not my style." He held up the notebook with two fingers on either side. "This Death Note came from the shinigami realm and that is why it has powers to kill people. But I'm growing bored of this now. Lets try something else," L said, his eyes shining with excitement as he stepped towards Raito. "Lift up your hands please."

"Why?"

"You'll find out."

He raised his hands up and L set the notebook on his lap. "Now place your hands on the Death Note."

"Ryuuzaki, this is stupid," he said dismissively.

"If you don't do it, I will have Watari exert force and make you do it."

"Fine, you sadistic bastard." Raito lowered his hands onto the cover of the Death Note. His eyes bugged out and he let out a long, drawn out scream.

_*His memories must be rushing back to him right now,* _L thought, touching his lip. When Raito stopped yelling, L leaned down so that he was directly in front of his enemy. "Welcome back, Kira," he said with a smile. "Your plan has failed, but I'm sure you've already figured that out. You're a smart guy after all."

Raito glared at him. He no longer had innocent, wide eyes. They were narrowed and cold; exactly as L remembered them from university.

"Hello Raito. It's been a long time, hasn't it?" Ryuk broke in.

"What is that thing talking to me?" Raito asked. "Is this some kind of new 3D technology?"

Ryuk chuckled. "That hurts, Raito. We spent so much time together and now you're going to pretend you don't know me?"

"Lets save the pleasantries for another time," L interrupted. "I want to get straight to the point." He retrieved his key piece of evidence and dangled it in front of Raito's face. "Look familiar? It's a letter from you to your girlfriend, Misa Amane." He cleared his throat and began reading the contents out loud. "**'Do you remember my friend that you once met when you visited me at Touou University, the one who introduced himself as Hideki Ryuuga but whose name you saw was different with your eyes? I would like you to write his real name on this note and get rid of him for me.'**" L paused to look up at him. "I'm disappointed in you, Raito-kun. I thought for sure you would want to kill me yourself."

Raito clenched his jaw. L noticed that the hair on his forehead was damp with sweat. He finished reading the letter and then folded it back up.

"Not only is this a confession of guilt that you are Kira, but it also implicates Misa Amane as your accomplice." L pulled up his armchair so that he could sit across from Raito. "What is your response to this?"

"Nothing, because I have no memory of writing it," he replied coolly.

"There's no point in lying anymore, Raito-kun. We have enough evidence to execute you."

"That letter is hardly evidence. You could have forged it yourself."

"We also have video footage of you burying the box containing this letter and the Death Note that is currently in your hands right now."

Raito glanced down at his lap. "Even if you did, you could have replaced the contents of that box to make me look guilty, though I still fail to see how writing a name can kill. No one would believe something so ludicrous."

L decided on a surprise tactic. He held up the picture of Aya. "Do you know this girl?"

Raito studied the photo for a few seconds. And then, as though flipping a switch, a look of fury came into his eyes. For only the briefest of moments, Raito's expression was perfectly clear to L and it said: so she's the one who ruined everything!

Raito regained his composure easily. "I don't exactly know her, but I talked to her a few times in my anthropology class."

"Do you remember her name?"

"I think it was Yamaguchi or Yamazaki. Something like that."

L touched his lip. _*Her alias then was Ayako Yamazaki… so he remembers more details about Aya with his memories. According to Ryuk, Raito suspected that she was working for me and even considered killing her. His reaction just now supports Ryuk's statement, which means that I've been worrying about Aya for nothing,*_ he thought, feeling incredibly relieved.

Raito's cuffed hands fidgeted on top of the Death Note. "Why are you asking about her?"

L ignored him once again and folded up Aya's photo, sticking it in his back pocket for safe keeping. "So tell me about Misa Amane. How did you meet her?"

"It was a chance encounter."

"Oh one of those fated meetings that are usually found in fiction?"

Raito gave him a little smile. "Misa would probably call it fate because she's the romantic type, but I think coincidence describes it better."

L rested his hands on his knees. "And was Amane-san the one who approached you?"

"Yes. She has a very outgoing type of personality."

"What did she say to you?"

"She introduced herself and asked for my number."

"And you gave it to her?" L asked in clarification.

"Yeah. I'd be stupid not to considering who she is."

"Were you a Misa-Misa fan before meeting her then?"

Raito shifted in his chair. "Well I thought she was cute like most people, but no, I wouldn't call myself a fan. I didn't buy her magazines or anything like that."

"How long were you dating her before her arrest?"

"A few weeks."

"And in those few weeks, did you ever discuss Kira with her?"

"Not at all."

"So it never came up even though you were already helping me with the case?"

"Of course not. I would never break confidentiality," Raito said in a matter of fact tone.

_*He's a good liar… I might even have believed him if circumstances were different,* _L thought, staring into his face. "Did you know that Misa Amane's family was killed in a home invasion?"

"I knew that she was an orphan, but I didn't know the particulars. That's really horrible."

"Yes it is, but there's a twist to this story. Kira is the one who executed the man who killed her parents. So I'm sure you can imagine the gratitude and admiration she would have felt for Kira. That's why I think she sought you out through Sakura TV; because she wanted to thank you for what you did. Amane-san must have seen you in Aoyama on May 22nd and discovered that you were Kira by using her shinigami eyes."

"Now you're just giving me your own personal theory, Ryuuzaki. If you're done with the questions, then please take your notebook back. I don't want it." Raito pushed the Death Note off his lap and onto the floor, and with it, went his memories.

Raito's expression returned to one of wide-eyed terror. "Ryuuzaki, I can't stand this anymore! Seeing that thing leering at me is going to make me lose my mind! Please let me return to my cell," he implored.

"That's such a sad request, Raito-kun. I thought I was helping you out by giving you a change of scenery." L got down from the chair and retrieved the Death Note. As he straightened up, his eyes darted to the windows. "Shall I open the blinds for you that way you can see outside? Oh, but maybe that isn't such a good idea. I'm sure the sunlight will be too painful for your eyes. I think we'll have to re-introduce you to natural light very slowly."

"You're a cruel and twisted person, Ryuuzaki," Raito told him.

"Am I? I don't think so. I'm just trying to express concern for your well being."

"Ryuuzaki is definitely a sadist," Ryuk said with a cackle.

L stroked his lip. _*Maybe I am… because I'm certainly enjoying this. Is it wrong to feel triumphant when Kira deserves to suffer for all he has done?*_

"Thank you for your cooperation, Raito-kun. This interview today was very helpful to me." L turned to Watari. "Please escort him back to his cell now."

* * *

L joined the rest of his team in the main room, where they watched the footage over again.

"It's quite remarkable to see how different he is after touching the Death Note," Mogi commented.

"Yes, he's very calm and collected. It's almost eerie," Aya agreed.

When he pushed away the Death Note, Aizawa said, "That was a cowardly thing to do."

"Next time I speak to him, I'll secure the Death Note to his hands with a rope," L told them.

Aizawa smiled. "That's an excellent idea. If Raito is forced to keep all of his memories, he might eventually give in and confess."

"That's what I'm hoping for."

"I don't know," Aya said skeptically. "Raito doesn't seem the type who will admit defeat so easily. I think he's more stubborn than Ryuuzaki is."

Matsuda nodded. "Aya-chan has a point. Raito-kun may never say anything."

"I'm determined to get a confession. If I have to offer him a deal, then I will," L replied.

"You mean a deal that would save him from execution?"

"Yes, Aya, exactly."

"Are you serious? You want to keep Kira alive?" Aizawa sounded shocked.

"I'm not exactly comfortable with it, but if he's not budging, I'll have to offer an incentive."

"You don't have to offer him anything! We have evidence on him that proves his guilt so the confession doesn't really matter. He's much too dangerous to keep alive."

"Raito Yagami without his memories doesn't pose the same kind of threat," L replied. "Without the Death Note, he's nothing."

"Ryuuzaki, you always said that Kira would face the death penalty for his crimes," Matsuda reminded him.

"Yes, but that was before I knew the strange method of killing. Now I know that a regular court hearing and sentence would be a mistake. The details would leak out to the public. So it looks like life imprisonment is the only option."

"This conversation is pointless since I am going to be the one to kill Raito Yagami," Ryuk interjected.

"What?!" Many people asked at the same time.

"Oh? Did I leave out that little detail?" Ryuk asked in an innocent tone.

"What do you mean you're going to kill him?" Chief Yagami asked. Regardless of Raito's crimes, the idea of his son being killed was plainly upsetting to him.

"I informed Raito that I would be writing his name in my Death Note when all of this came to an end. He agreed to it. That is the deal that all humans and shinigami make."

L met Ryuk's eyes. "Your Death Note?"

"All shinigami have their own." He reached into his waistband and pulled out a notebook.

"My god! You mean you could kill any of us right now?" Matsuda's eyes were wide with fright. Everyone had matching expressions on their faces.

Ryuk laughed as he tucked it back out of view. "There's no need to look so serious. If I wanted to kill any of you, I would have done it earlier. I don't plan on writing your names down."

"I feel so much better now," Matsuda replied sarcastically.

L ran his thumb over his bottom lip. "So this means that Misa's shinigami has a Death Note as well… and she won't hesitate to write names down if it means saving Misa's life."

"What are you talking about?" Aizawa asked.

L explained to his team how Rem threatened Raito with death if any harm came to Misa. "If a shinigami uses the Death Note to save a human's life, they will die."

"We've gone completely off topic," Chief Yagami said, looking at Ryuk. "You say you plan on killing my son. When exactly are you going to do this?"

"I haven't decided yet. I don't want to ruin L's fun, so I won't write his name down any time soon."

"Fun?!" Chief Yagami yelled. "I fail to see how this situation is fun! You talk about his death so casually. I don't know if I can take this much longer."

"Yagami-san, maybe it would be better for you take some time off," L told him. "Go home to your family. I'm sure they miss you."

He started to refuse, but L interrupted him. "That wasn't a suggestion. I know how hard this is for you, but don't forget that you have a wife and daughter who are good people and who love you. Spend some time with them."

"You're not kicking me off the case are you?"

"No, this is more like a holiday. I will of course keep you updated on any leads regarding the 3rd Kira."

Chief Yagami relaxed at his words and sighed. "Maybe you're right. Some days I feel like I'm about to go insane. I probably shouldn't come back for a while."

"You can take as much time as you need."

Once everyone said goodbye to Chief Yagami, L suggested watching a movie instead of working. There was a theater located on the 5th floor with a large projection screen and reclining chairs.

Matsuda and Mogi agreed right away.

"I'm going home for today. I really want to see my family," Aizawa told them.

Aya looked saddened at his words and L knew that she must be missing her parents and sister very much.

"I'm so tired that I might fall asleep," Aya said, "so I think I'll just go up to my room."

"Please come with us, Aya-chan. It's alright if you fall asleep. You can rest your head on my shoulder," Matsuda said with a grin.

L felt a flash of irritation. _*I really wish he would stop flirting with her all the time.*_

"Thanks for the offer, Matsuda-san, but I'm just not feeling well. I won't be good company."

L knew he had to say something before Matsuda had the chance to offer. "Aya, can I walk you back to your room? There's something I would like to discuss with you."

She bit her lip apprehensively. "Alright."

"I'll meet you guys on the 5th floor in ten minutes," L said over his shoulder. He glanced at Ryuk. "That includes you"

"I really hate missing the good stuff. You better tell me about it later."

"Nosy shinigami," L muttered as they entered the elevator.

Aya pressed the button and then turned to him. "What is it?"

L noticed the shadows under her eyes. He had never seen her look so exhausted before. _*It's my fault that she's like this now.*_

"When your wrist feels better, I want you to go visit your family."

* * *

Aya couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her eyes widened and her mouth opened in surprise. "Why?"

"I don't want to send you back with a bandage on your wrist because they might think that I hurt you," he explained. "And if your parents thought that, I'm sure they wouldn't allow you to return."

"No, that's not what I meant. Why are you letting me go?"

He stared at her for a moment before responding. "When I showed the Raito with his memories the picture of you, this look of dawning comprehension and fury came over his face. I could tell that he blamed you for everything. He tried to hide his expression quickly, but I saw it."

The elevator opened and L reached forward to press the hold button. "You're the reason why I decided to question Raito today. I don't want you to feel like a caged animal. I want you to feel like an important member of this team, and for that to happen, you need the same freedoms as everyone else. So I'm going to trust you."

Her eyes filled with tears.

L looked at her nervously. "I thought you'd be happy about this."

"I am happy!"

"But you're crying," he pointed out.

She lifted up her glasses and wiped her eyes. "Haven't you ever cried from happiness before?"

"Never. I've only cried a few times in my life and that was when I was a child," he confessed.

"That's kind of sad, Ryuuzaki," Aya said, exiting the elevator.

They stopped outside her door.

"I hope you won't have anymore nightmares." L looked down at her wrist. "Has the bandage loosened up? If it has, I can fix it for you," he said, meeting her eyes.

_*How can he be so damn cute?* _Aya thought, trying to resist the urge to hug him. _*How can he make my emotions go up and down like this?*_

"No, it's fine," she replied.

"Will you be joining us for dinner at seven?"

"Yes. I'm going to take a nap, but I'll set my alarm so I don't miss it."

"Okay, see you later then." He gave her a little smile. "Sweet dreams."

Her heart skipped a beat. She watched him as he slouched over to the elevator in his slow, lazy way. Aya leaned against the door while her heart continued to beat out of control. _*It's no use… I really am in love with him. Despite everything, I love the detective, L.*_

* * *

**A/N: I'm very sorry about the lateness of this chapter. I was on vacation and then I ended up re-writing it because I wasn't happy with the first draft. I wanted to make sure that the scene between L and Raito was just right. This has definitely been the most difficult (and longest!) chapter for me so far. I think I struggled with it because the characters weren't in a good place emotionally, so it was exhausting to get inside their heads. Please drop me a review… even if it's only a sentence, your feedback really keeps me going :) Thank you!**


	12. Persuasion

**Chapter 12: Persuasion**

**Early July**

A few days later, Aya's wrist was better and she was able to take the bandage off. L remained true to his word and asked Watari to drive her home whenever she was ready. Aya went upstairs to pack her bag.

"Are you sure about this, Ryuuzaki?" Watari asked him.

L looked up at him from his computer chair. "Yes. I'm sure."

"I could set up some surveillance outside of her house so we can keep track of her movements."

"No, that won't be necessary."

Watari smiled at his response.

"What's that expression for?" L asked with a frown. "Do you think I'm being foolish?"

"On the contrary, I think you're showing wisdom and maturity."

L turned his attention to the computer screen. _*I might be outwardly displaying those things, but inside I'm still an insecure child. I don't want to let her out of my sight… but why do I feel this way? I saw the truth in Raito's face. I know she isn't involved and yet I still don't want her to leave. Why?* _L couldn't really make sense of it, so he began eating a pastry to calm his nerves.

Aya returned less than ten minutes later with an overnight bag slung over her shoulder. "Alright, I'm ready to go," she announced.

Matsuda walked over to her. "It's going to be really boring around here without you, Aya-chan."

_*What he says is true. Things will be boring without Aya… that must be why I'm hesitant for her to leave. I've enjoyed her company. Having a girl here has brightened up the atmosphere for everyone.*_

"I won't be gone that long," she replied.

"I know, but I'll miss you," Matsuda said truthfully.

L was taken aback at his verbal declaration. _*He doesn't even look self conscious about admitting it either. Could I ever say something so direct? Maybe I'd be able to verbalize my feelings better if I was more of an honest idiot… wait, am I actually envying Matsuda right now? How absurd of me!*_

Aya touched Matsuda's shoulder and smiled. "You're really sweet. I'll miss you too, well all of you really," she added looking around at everyone. Aya met L's eyes and said, "Please try not to have a breakthrough on the case while I'm gone."

"That's out of my control. I don't know when a pattern will present itself," L stated logically.

She flashed a little smile in his direction. "Well goodbye. I'll see everyone soon." Aya gave a cheerful wave and turned around to follow Watari into the parking garage.

L pushed his half eaten pastry across the desk. He wasn't hungry anymore.

"You should have gone over to her and said goodbye," Ryuk told him.

L pretended to open up files on the computer. "That's not how I am. I don't make public scenes."

"Matsuda has the upper hand now."

"I don't care about such things," he replied in an indifferent tone.

Ryuk laughed. "You're such a liar, Ryuuzaki. It's obvious that you're sulking over Aya leaving."

"Instead of bothering me, why don't you play tennis on the wii?"

"I don't remember how to operate it."

"Hey Matsuda-san, will you start the wii tennis game for Ryuk please?" L called over his shoulder.

"Sure, but I'm playing a match against him then," Matsuda said, heading over to the TV that had been set up near the couches.

L ended up watching their game. Matsuda beat Ryuk easily, who was still getting accustomed to the controls. He suspected that the shinigami's long nails were getting in the way. With his concentration now gone, L gave in and ended up playing too.

* * *

Aya rang the doorbell and she didn't have to wait long for her mother to appear.

"Aya! I'm so glad to see you!" Mrs. Takeda exclaimed as she wrapped her daughter in a tight hug.

"Hi mum, it's good to be home," she replied, patting her mother's back.

_*I almost forgot how nice physical affection can be,* _Aya thought. The Takeda family was a very demonstrative one.

Her mother gave her a kiss on the cheek and smiled. "Come in," she said, picking up Aya's bag. "Look who's come to say hello."

"Ciel! How's my fluff ball doing?" Aya said, scooping him up in her arms and burying her face in his fur. He purred contentedly.

"Come into the kitchen. I made some lemon bars for you."

Aya followed after her mother. Everything was exactly the same and it somehow didn't feel like she had been gone at all. She gave Ciel a kiss before setting him down on the floor. Aya sat down at the kitchen table while her mother got the tea things out.

"Since you phoned before you left, I was able to time the tea and have it ready for you." She brought over the tray and poured out a steaming cup for Aya.

"Thanks mum," she said, taking a bite of a lemon bar. "These are delicious as always."

Mrs. Takeda smiled. "Did you have sweets at headquarters?"

"Oh yes. Ryuuzaki is pretty much addicted to sugar so we're always having cakes and cookies and everything like that." Aya gave a little laugh and added, "In fact, I'm sure I've gained weight."

"Well you don't seem any different to me. I'm glad to see you looking so well. All of us have been worried about you, especially your father." Her face turned serious. "He doesn't want you to be involved in the case anymore, Aya."

Her eyes widened. "But mum, I can't walk away now! I'm the one who caught a key piece of evidence. This case is really important to me!"

"I know that, honey. Your father will be home this evening so you'll have to try and convince him then."

_*Great. That should be loads of fun,* _Aya thought. "Is Hana still at work?" she asked, changing the subject. Her sister had given up modeling a few years before and was now a stylist for a talent agency.

"Yes, but she's taking off early. She should be home around four."

Aya drank her tea, which was an orange pekoe blend. She talked with her mother for nearly an hour; mostly describing the task force members and funny things that had happened over the past two weeks.

"It sounds like you're getting along with everyone," Mrs. Takeda said.

"Yeah, they're all great. I think you would like them a lot."

"Perhaps we could meet them?" she suggested. "That might change your father's mind."

Aya's face lit up. "Good idea! I'm sure Matsuda, Mogi, and Aizawa would come if I asked."

"What about the ex-chief of police?"

"Oh he's on leave right now for health reasons so he won't be able to make it."

"That sounds serious. Is he alright?" Mrs. Takeda asked in concern.

"I think he will be once he gets some rest." But Aya had her doubts. _*How does someone get over a shock like that?*_

"How about Ryuuzaki? Would he come to the house if you asked?"

"Umm, I don't know," Aya replied, feeling nervous at the prospect of her father meeting L. "He doesn't usually reveal his identity to other people. He only did that one time because he had to explain the situation to you."

Mrs. Takeda stared at her daughter. "Aya, are you in a relationship with Ryuuzaki? Is that why you want to continue working on the case?"

She shook her head. "No mum, it's not like that. I really want to stop Kira."

"But you told me before that you liked him," Mrs. Takeda insisted.

"I do, but he only considers me a friend. I don't even know if he's the type of person who's interested in having a romantic relationship with anyone."

Mrs. Takeda's green eyes widened. "There are people like that? He isn't a monk or anything."

Aya laughed. "Yes mum, there are people out there who don't want romance," she explained.

"And you think Ryuuzaki is this way?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. He's never had any relationships before, but I'm not sure if that's because of who he is or because he just doesn't care."

"Your father will be relieved when I tell him there's nothing going on. He's very concerned about you living un-chaperoned in a building with only men. Well I am too, but it's much harder for him to accept that you're old enough to have sex now."

"I know it and that's why I've never had a serious boyfriend before. I saw how upset daddy was when Hana started dating in high school. I didn't want him to be disappointed in me too," she said, biting her lip.

"I'm sorry, Aya. We never meant to put such high expectations on you." Mrs. Takeda took her daughter's hand. "Have we made you very unhappy?"

"Not really. I never liked the guys who asked me out at school anyway. I remember thinking they were so childish. Hanging around them was exhausting for me, so if I've been unhappy, it's mostly due to my personality." Aya smiled at her mother and said, "You and daddy have been such loving parents and I'm thankful for that every day."

Tears came into her mother's eyes and she got up from the chair. "Come on, give me another hug," she said, holding open her arms.

Aya smiled and stepped into her mother's embrace.

She excused herself a few minutes later to go and take a nap. When she entered her room, she was surprised at how clean it was. _*Mum must have straightened everything out after I left,* _she thought, looking around at the neat piles on her dresser. All her clothes had been put away and her bed was even made. Aya got under the covers and sank into her mattress.

"This is heaven," she murmured quietly, taking off her glasses and setting them on her bedside table.

Aya closed her eyes and considered what she had told her mother about L. _*If Ryuuzaki had parents who loved him, would he be a different person now? Although being raised the right way doesn't necessarily ensure that someone grows up to be good... Raito Yagami is a perfect example. So it must be true that there are people who are born with something missing and no matter how much they are loved, it will never be enough to change their natures.* _Aya hugged her pillow to her chest and felt sad. *_I just hope Ryuuzaki isn't one of those people.* _

* * *

L was still playing wii tennis when Watari returned to headquarters.

"What's this?" he asked. "You're playing instead of working, Ryuuzaki?"

L paused the game and turned around to face Watari. "Yeah, I just needed a quick break."

"It isn't fair that Mogi-san and Aizawa-san are taking on the whole workload right now."

"Thank you!" Aizawa called out. "I told him the same thing."

"Hey, I've been helping too," Matsuda interjected.

"You just sat down about five minutes ago," Aizawa said in an annoyed tone. "Putting the wii in our workspace was a bad idea."

"I brought it down here to keep Ryuk occupied so he wouldn't always be pestering us," L explained.

"It's too distracting for everyone, Ryuuzaki. I'll be returning it back to the game room," Watari told him.

"That's mean," L said, sticking out his lower lip in an exaggerated pout.

Aizawa laughed at him. "Oh man, I never thought I would see such an expression on Ryuuzaki's face! Like a spoiled brat I swear..."

L glared at Aizawa, who didn't notice because he was too busy wiping his eyes and laughing. He glanced at Watari and said, "Let me finish this game at least."

The older man sighed. "Very well."

* * *

Aya awoke to a knock on the door. She opened her eyes and saw a blurry person enter her room.

"Why are you sleeping at this hour?" Hana's voice asked.

She reached for her glasses and put them on. "I don't know. I guess being home made me tired," Aya said with a yawn and sat up in bed.

Hana walked around to the other side of her bed and sat beside her. She gave her a brilliant smile and soon Aya was enveloped in her sister's sweet smelling perfume. Hana pulled back after a few seconds to examine her.

"You're starting to look like one of those girls in an old fashioned painting. Are you ever going to cut your hair?" she asked, smoothing it out with her hands.

"I guess I will eventually," Aya replied, blinking the sleep from her eyes.

"I know some great hairstylists that would do it for free. Getting some layers and highlights would look so good."

Aya gave her an indulgent smile. "You're always trying to give me a makeover."

"Of course. You're like a diamond that hasn't been polished yet. Everyone at my work would love to get their hands on you." Hana got up suddenly. "I'm going to get a comb. Your hair is all tangled." Treating Aya like a dress-up doll was her way of being affectionate.

Hana was back a moment later and sitting next to her again. Aya turned her body around and pulled her legs up to her chest.

She started separating Aya's hair into sections. "So tell me about the famous detective L. What's he like?"

"Well he operates on a completely different wavelength from regular people. He's incredibly logical, negative, and thinks the worst of everyone. I guess that's because of his job though. Being suspicious comes naturally to him."

Aya felt the comb slide through her hair and she instinctively started to relax. She had always loved getting her hair brushed.

"So was he suspicious of you?"

Aya decided it would be best to tell the truth. "Yes."

"That's what I figured. It was really the only explanation I could think of as to why you couldn't come and visit us sooner."

Aya turned her head. "Did you mention this to mum or dad?"

"No," she replied, putting her hands on the side of Aya's head to make her look straight ahead. "Try not to move for a few minutes."

"Sorry," Aya mumbled, looking down at her toes.

"So my angelic little sister was actually a Kira suspect? That is beyond ridiculous!"

She smiled. "It is, huh?"

"Well yeah, you're so straight laced. There's no way you could kill someone or help a murderer. I guess L doesn't know you like we do though." Hana finished with one section and put it over Aya's shoulder. "You weren't under questioning in some dark room, were you?"

"God no! I'd hate him right now if he did that to me."

"Yeah and I'd also be kicking his ass if I found out that he did."

Aya let out a laugh. "He is really skinny so you could probably take him on."

"Of course I could," she said confidently. "I took martial arts classes for almost a year."

Hana finished combing her hair out and started to French braid it.

"So he just brought you to headquarters to keep an eye on you then?" she asked in clarification.

"Basically. He said he wanted to clear me and be sure I wasn't involved with Kira."

"Which he's obviously done since you're here," Hana stated.

"Yeah. He said he trusts me now, but it really hurt that he doubted me to begin with."

"Well of course it did. Everyone wants to be trusted by the person they like."

"When I look at it from his perspective, I sort of understand why he was suspicious of me though," Aya said. "I mean he meets this random college student who brings up the name of his prime suspect and then offers to spy for him without giving it a second thought. I'm sure he was thinking: 'What is wrong with this girl? Does she have ulterior motives?' I told him about how I love crime dramas, but there was no reason for him to believe a total stranger."

Hana laughed. "Aya the amateur detective! I still remember how you used to sneak around as a little kid. You even kept a spy notebook. So really, this whole situation is practically a dream come true for you."

"Yeah it is, and one I never thought would happen. When we moved to Japan, all my curiosity and daring completely disappeared. I thought it was just me growing up, but now I realize how much I changed. I became so shy and stopped taking chances. I followed the rules and lived a peaceful, boring life. Somehow I was satisfied with that, or rather, I had accepted it." She paused for a moment. "Then I met L and I couldn't help but get excited. I felt like I finally had a chance to do something that would make a difference in the world."

"I understand," Hana said, securing her braid with a rubber band.

Aya could now turn around to face her.

"I was always hoping that you would get passionate about something. You were so busy studying that you didn't have time for anything else. You never got close to anyone in Japan either, so I felt relieved when you went out on a date. You've been really happy the past few months and at first I thought it was because you were in love, but I see now that there's a lot more to it than that." Hana smiled at her. "You've finally found something meaningful that you really want to fight for and I think that's great. I'm cheering you on."

"You are?" Aya asked in surprise. "But I thought for sure you would be against it like daddy is."

"I was at first, but hearing your words has changed my mind. You're so grown up now," she said, touching Aya's face. "And I feel a little sad about that, but I know holding you back would be a mistake. So don't worry, I'll support you tonight when you talk to daddy."

Aya gave her a big smile. "Thank you so much, Hana!" she exclaimed, throwing her arms around her sister.

* * *

The talk with her father went better than she had anticipated. Aya knew that it was thanks to the support she received from her mother and Hana. Her father ended up agreeing to a meeting with the task force. Now all Aya had to do was call L and set it up.

* * *

L was watching an episode of 'The Mentalist' on his laptop when his mobile phone rang. He reached for it and saw 'A' on his caller ID. He paused the video and answered quickly.

"Hey Aya. How are things at home?"

"Hi. They're good. Did you make any progress on the case today?"

"Not at all. Things are moving slowly and everyone's bored out of their minds here."

"Then would it be alright for Aizawa, Matsuda, and Mogi to come and meet my family? My father is a bit hesitant about me working on the case, so I want to set his mind at ease."

L stretched out on the couch. "Sure, that won't be a problem. When do they want to meet them?"

"The day after tomorrow. My mother said she'll make them dinner. Will you relay the invitation for me?"

"Yeah I can do that," he replied. _*Why doesn't she ask me to come? Is it because she hates me?*_

"So what are you doing right now?"

"I was watching 'The Mentalist,'" he told her.

"Really?" she asked excitedly. "You like that show too?"

"Yeah. I think I've already figured out who the serial killer is though."

Aya laughed. "I'm sure you have, but don't tell me, okay? I want to be surprised when Red John's identity is finally revealed."

"Alright, I won't ruin it for you then." L pulled a blanket over himself. "I started watching it because you mentioned it to me before."

"That's right, I did. Well I'm glad I could turn you into a fan."

"So is Patrick Jane the type of guy you like?" L asked nonchalantly.

"No, not especially," she replied. "He's charming and good looking and makes me laugh, but I don't think I'd want to come across someone like him in real life. He's hardly ever serious and he doesn't confide in anyone so getting close to him is impossible." She paused. "I prefer men who are open and truthful."

_*That's certainly not me. All I do is lie.*_

L heard a knock and then a female voice in the background.

"Hey I have to go. My sister wants to watch a movie with me. Call me tomorrow and let me know if they can come to dinner."

"I will. Enjoy your night," he told her.

"You too. Bye, Ryuuzaki," she said and ended the call.

L put his phone down and felt disappointed that their conversation was so brief. _*She's having a great time over there. Maybe Ryuk is right about Aya falling for Matsuda… she is asking him to meet her family, not me,*_ he thought with a sigh.

"What's the matter, Ryuuzaki? Feeling lonely?" Ryuk asked, looking down at him.

L's eyes widened and his heart sped up. "I thought I asked you not to surprise me so suddenly like that."

Ryuk chuckled. "Sorry. I couldn't let you know I was here because you were on the phone. I didn't want to interrupt."

L turned on his side and reached over to his laptop which was on the coffee table. He pressed play.

"Oh you're watching that show again. Where are your snacks?"

"I'm not hungry," L replied.

"Are you depressed or something?"

"No. I don't eat a lot when I'm not using my brain. Hey if you're going to stay in here, please don't talk. I can't hear the show."

"You're so grouchy," Ryuk commented.

_*Maybe he's the real reason Raito snapped and started murdering people,* _L thought, biting his thumbnail. _*All he ever does is bother me! The wii didn't work out, but what about his own portable game system? That won't distract us and it will keep him entertained. Yes… I think I'll order one when this episode is over.*_

* * *

The day of the dinner party arrived and Mrs. Takeda decided to cook a variety of dishes to suit everyone's tastes. The menu consisted of grilled salmon, croquettes, somen noodles with tofu, and assorted vegetables. A cheesecake made the night before would be served for dessert. Aya helped her mother with all the food preparations.

When Hana arrived home from work, she set the table and then disappeared upstairs to get ready. Aya suspected that her sister wanted to make a good impression since two of the men were single.

Mr. Takeda let himself in and called out, "I'm home."

Aya popped her head out of the kitchen and said, "Welcome back, daddy."

He gave her his pleasant smile, slipped off his shoes, and set his briefcase on the bench in the hall. Ciel came to greet him by rubbing against his leg. Mr. Takeda bent down to pet him and then walked towards Aya.

She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a quick hug. Her father was nearly 182 centimeters tall, with a stocky build like a teddy bear.

"How was work?" she asked him.

"Busy. I had another long meeting today." He pulled away and said, "I see that you and your mum have been hard at work too. It smells great in here." Mr. Takeda headed over to greet his wife with a kiss.

Aya checked her watch. It was almost 6:15 PM and they would be arriving at 7. Her mother left to get changed, but Aya had to stay and keep an eye on the food. When Mrs. Takeda came down ten minutes later, she ran up the stairs to put some decent clothes on.

Once she was satisfied with her outfit, Aya knocked on the bathroom door. "Hana, let me in. I need to get my makeup."

Her sister opened the door a moment later. Hana had curled her medium length, golden brown hair and swept her bangs over to the side which gave her a more glamorous appearance. Hana had only applied a small amount of blush to give her pale complexion a healthy glow. She had chosen to play up her big hazel eyes with brown eyeliner and a few coats of mascara. Hana was wearing a sleeveless lavender colored dress with a full skirt that Aya had never seen before.

"You look pretty as always," Aya told her.

Hana smiled. "Thanks. I borrowed the dress from work. Look, it has a built in petticoat," she said, lifting the hem up to reveal netting underneath. "Do you think it's too much?"

"No, I like it. You can pull off feminine dresses like that."

"You could too if you put in some effort. Don't you have anything fancier to wear?" Hana asked, examining Aya's royal blue dress with a white peter pan collar. "Jersey knit is for daywear. I have some printed chiffon dresses that you can choose from."

"But I like this dress," Aya insisted.

"No, it's all wrong." Hana pulled Aya into her room which was decorated in an 18th century French style with modern touches.

Hana opened her neatly organized, color-coded closet. She pulled out a yellow floral dress and held it up to Aya. "No, that makes your skin look sallow." She quickly put it back and retrieved a pink one with a ruffle on the bottom. "What about this?"

"Too cutesy," she said, shaking her head in the negative.

Hana rolled her eyes. "What's wrong with looking cute?"

"Nothing, but that just isn't me." Aya went to the closet and pulled out a sleeveless mock two piece dress. The skirt was a pale blue-green color in pleated chiffon, while the top half was white lace. "What about this one?" she asked, holding it against her body.

"Yeah, that will look nice on you." Hana pulled out a black velvet belt with a bow on it. "I usually wear this with that dress. When you're done changing, I'll help with your makeup and hair."

* * *

Aya and Hana were still upstairs when the doorbell rang. Her sister was applying some last minute pink lip gloss, so Aya went down first. Mrs. Takeda had already let them in and they were taking their shoes off in the hallway.

"Hi everyone," she said with a wave. "Thanks for coming tonight."

All of them greeted her warmly.

"You look really pretty, Aya-chan," Matsuda told her in an undertone.

"Thank you, but wait until you see my sister."

"What do you-" But he didn't have a chance to finish his sentence because Hana appeared on the staircase.

Matsuda and Mogi had identical stunned expressions on their faces as she walked down. _*She really knows how to make an entrance,* _Aya thought in amusement.

"This is my older sister, Hana," she told them.

"Hello, nice to meet you," she said with her sweetest smile.

Now that she was standing on the ground level, Aya noticed that her sister was the same height as Matsuda, or perhaps slightly taller. Even Aizawa seemed a bit starry eyed.

"Please come into the sitting room," Mrs. Takeda said, showing them inside.

Her father rose from the chair and introduced himself. The sisters left to help their mother bring the food out to the table. When Aya returned to the sitting room, they were discussing her.

"Here she is," Mr. Takeda said. "Matsuda-san was just telling us how you help to motivate them."

Aya looked at Matsuda and smiled. "That's nice of you to say."

"I'm just speaking the truth. We haven't been nearly as productive these last few days without you around."

"Aya-san is good at keeping us on schedule," Aizawa added.

She felt a little embarrassed that everyone was focused on her, but she was also pleased that they valued her effort. "Thank you. That means a lot because I've really enjoyed working with all of you."

Aya glanced at her father, who had a proud glint in his eyes. He had always been the type who enjoyed hearing other people praise his daughters. Mr. Takeda was very doting in that way and wanted them to be happy.

Her mother came in to announce that the food was on the table and they all proceeded to the dining room.

* * *

Dinner went very well. All of them complimented the food and there was never any awkward silences. They covered many different topics of conversation and everyone had something to say, even the usually reserved Mogi. Matsuda got tongue tied whenever Hana addressed him, which Aya found adorable.

The three men didn't leave until after 9 PM. Aya walked them out to the car so she could thank them. She also took the opportunity to tease Matsuda about his reaction to her sister.

"I know you fell in love with her at first sight," Aya said with a smile. "I'll put in a good word for you."

Matsuda's face lit up. "Really?"

"Yeah, so do me a favor and give this to Ryuuzaki." She handed Matsuda a container with a piece of cheesecake.

"I think this will cheer him up. All he's been doing is laying around and moping lately. He says it's because there are no leads on the case, but I think he's also missing you a little. Not that he'd ever admit to that," Matsuda added with a laugh.

Aya smiled. "Of course he wouldn't. Tell him I'll be in touch soon to let him know my father's decision."

Matsuda opened the car door. "Sure thing. Goodnight, Aya-chan. Hopefully we'll be seeing you soon."

She said goodbye and waited until they drove away before going back inside.

* * *

While Aya and Hana were doing the dishes, they had a chance to talk about the dinner party.

"They're nice," Hana told her. "I can see why you're so comfortable around them. I wish you would have invited Ryuuzaki though."

"It just wasn't the right time. You'll meet him eventually," Aya replied, handing her a soapy dish. "So what did you think of Matsuda?"

Hana rinsed it off and then asked, "Was he the short one who looks like a teenager?"

"Oh come on, he doesn't look that young!" Aya insisted. "He's the same age as you are. He's really sweet and good looking, don't you think?

"I guess he is, in an awkward kind of way. Isn't he the type of guy you usually go for?"

"Yeah I've been attracted to sincere guys like him in the past. Ryuuzaki is the complete opposite of Matsuda though."

"Then why do you like him?" she raised her perfectly manicured eyebrows. "Please don't tell me it's because he fulfills your detective fetish."

Aya laughed. "No, that's not it. I was initially drawn to him because he looks and acts so differently from other people. At first I got the impression that he wasn't afraid to be himself, but now I think he's a bit insecure about his differences. That's partly why I didn't want him to come tonight. He's not good at socializing and I think daddy would have made him uncomfortable," she explained.

"I see. So he's a bit strange then?"

"Kind of, but it suits him somehow." She handed Hana a serving bowl to rinse. "Ryuuzaki is a hard person to figure out. He can be really cute and childlike one minute, then very serious and mature the next. He doesn't talk about his feelings, but I think he's actually a lonely person. He grew up in an orphanage so he has no concept of love."

"And of course you want to show him what love is, right?" Hana asked.

Aya nodded. "Yes. I feel really protective of him. It's hard to explain."

"Do you see him as a challenge? It's perfectly fine if you do. Plenty of people go after someone unattainable because they enjoy the chase."

"Not at all. If I had a choice, I wouldn't like him. There's so many roadblocks standing in my way that I feel overwhelmed." Aya bit her lip. "I've been thinking lately that I'll never be able to reach him. His heart seems very guarded."

"This isn't like you," Hana said with a frown. "Where has my optimistic sister gone? You haven't even tried yet."

"I'm scared that he'll push me away if I tell him how I feel."

"Aya, all men get scared if the confession comes too soon. You need to do things very slowly. The next time he does something nice for you, try giving him a hug," Hana suggested. "That might open things up a bit more."

"I'll have to channel my inner bravery to do that," she joked.

Hana nudged Aya with her shoulder and said, "I'm sure you can manage it. Just bring back that impulsive little girl you used to be."

"Okay, I'll try." Aya gave her a little smile. "Thanks for hearing me out, Hana. I'm starting to feel a bit better."

"No problem, I'm glad I could help. I know a lot about relationships so ask me anything you want from now on."

"Alright, I will." Aya suddenly felt much closer to her sister.

* * *

L opened his apartment door to see Matsuda holding a clear, plastic container in one hand with some kind of dessert inside.

"Aya wanted me to bring you a piece of cheesecake she made," he explained, giving him a big smile. "Can I come in?"

"If you want," L replied, reaching for the container. He wasn't especially hungry at the moment, so he put it in the fridge for later.

"Hey Ryuk," Matsuda greeted.

"Yo. How was the dinner?"

"Really good! Aya-chan's family is great, especially her sister."

"Oh really?" Ryuk asked curiously, glancing at L with a sly expression.

"Yes, she's so beautiful and charming. She looked almost like a doll! I've never seen a girl like her in person before."

L narrowed his eyes at Matsuda "I never knew you were so shallow and fickle, Matsuda-san."

"I'm not," he said with a surprised look on his face. "Why are you saying that?"

"You were always flirting with Aya before, but seeing a pretty girl for a few hours is enough to make you forget about her. That's being fickle and shallow."

"But I was never interested in Aya-chan romantically! I was just being friendly and treating her like I would a little sister," Matsuda explained.

"Has it ever crossed your mind, Matsuda-san, that your behavior may have given Aya the wrong impression?"

"What? Ryuuzaki, Aya-chan doesn't like me that way at all! She even said tonight that she would put in a good word for me with her sister."

That made L pause. "She did?"

"Yeah." Matsuda let out a nervous laugh. "You've read the situation entirely wrong. What a rare occurrence for you!"

"I don't pretend to be an expert when it comes to romance, Matsuda-san," he said impatiently.

"Well it's kind of refreshing that there are subjects even the great L isn't knowledgeable about!"

L was feeling very annoyed at his self-satisfied tone.

Matsuda seemed to pick up on this because he said, "I guess I'll leave you alone now. Enjoy your cheesecake!" He paused at the door and said, "Oh, Aya-chan told me to tell you that she'll be in touch when her father lets her know his decision."

"What's her father like, by the way?" L inquired.

"He's big like Mogi-san, but he has an outgoing personality. Well he works in marketing so that's to be expected. He asked us a lot of questions about our personal lives too. We even talked about you for a little while."

L frowned. "What did the three of you say about me?"

"Hmm, I think I'll keep that to myself," Matsuda said with a smirk and left the room.

Ryuk let out a loud bark of laughter. "He really got you good, Ryuuzaki!"

L turned to the shinigami in irritation. "I never should have believed what you told me about Aya and Matsuda."

"If you've been worried about it, then I accomplished my goal," he said gleefully.

"Do me a favor and please leave," L requested, trying to keep his tone neutral.

"Yeah I think I will. You're no fun to tease when you're in a bad mood like this." Ryuk disappeared through the wall.

L collapsed in an armchair. He threw his head back and stared up at the ceiling. Despite his extreme annoyance at the situation that had just unfolded, he also felt relieved at his discovery.

* * *

Aya was watching the new 'Sherlock' miniseries on her laptop when a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in!" she called out, pressing pause.

Her father peeked his head inside. "Your mother and I have talked about it and we're alright with you staying at headquarters during the week. We want you to come home on weekends though. Does that sound fair?"

Aya grinned at him. "Extremely fair. Thank you, daddy! Since it's already Friday, I'll go back on Monday then."

After they said goodnight, Aya sent L a text message to tell him the good news.

* * *

L was eating his cheesecake when his phone beeped. He reached over to check it and smiled at the words he saw on the screen.

He still felt hungry after he finished Aya's dessert, so he went in search of more food. L found a bar of Hershey's milk chocolate in the back of his kitchen cupboard and happily devoured the whole thing.

* * *

**A/N: Firstly let me apologize for the wait. I've had a very busy couple of weeks :/ I think from now on I'm going to write shorter chapters that way I can update sooner.**

**Credit for the Ryuk video game scene goes to my beta-reader, The_Maverick013, who suggested the idea :D Ryuk mentions playing video games in the manga, which I had completely forgotten about.**

**In my latest live journal entry, I discuss chapter 11 more in depth. Check it out if you're interested :)**

**Well I hope you enjoyed meeting the Takeda family and getting more insight into some of the characters!**


	13. Compromise

**Chapter 13: Compromise**

When Aya came into headquarters on Monday morning, L offered to help with her luggage. She had brought more belongings back with her. Aya held out a messenger bag for him to take and L slung it over his shoulder. Judging from the heaviness of it, he guessed they were filled with books.

"Are you going to check my bags again?" she asked jokingly.

L didn't see anything funny about the comment. In fact, he felt uncomfortable being reminded of the ordeal he had put her through before.

"No," he answered with a serious expression. "I'm going to respect your privacy."

Aya gave him a little smile. "Good. I appreciate it." She invited him into the apartment and said, "You can set that down on the coffee table. I brought some of my favorite books with me." She started heading for the hallway. "Just let me put this stuff in my room and then we can go back."

He sat on the couch. L didn't want to go downstairs right away. There was something in particular he wanted to say to Aya. L had planned it out in his head the last few days, but despite his preparations, he still felt nervous.

Aya emerged back in the room and he looked up at her. L cleared his throat.

"Would you sit down with me for a few minutes?"

* * *

L looked a bit anxious, which made Aya anxious as well. "Okay," she said, taking a seat beside him on the couch. "This sounds quite serious."

"It is," he told her.

Aya noticed that L was sitting normally, but she could tell that he wasn't comfortable. His bare feet fidgeted on the floor and his hands gripped his jeans. He turned his head sideways and looked into her eyes. Aya's heart sped up a little. _*This can't possibly be a declaration of love, can it?* _

"I had a lot of time to think while you were gone," he began, "and I want you to know that I regret what I did. You captured evidence for us and instead of rewarding you for it, I treated you with suspicion. As of now, I'm going to make it up to you and the first thing I'm going to do is pay you for all the work you've done. You're a member of this team and you deserve a salary just like everyone else. I've asked Watari to get the money out for me so you'll have the cash soon and will be able to deposit it into your own account."

"Oh. Well thank you, I'd like that," she said, feeling slightly disappointed that it wasn't a confession, yet also pleased about receiving a paycheck. _*This will be my first job.*_

"I also want you to know that it was never my intention to make you feel like a prisoner. When I get involved in my work, I won't go outside for weeks. I've always felt comfortable being confined inside of buildings, but I know that my preferences are not shared by the majority of the human population. Most people go outside every day to attend school or work. I'm the one who has an abnormal schedule," he said, looking away.

Aya had been waiting for an opportunity like this to satisfy her curiosity. "Does being different bother you?"

He met her eyes. "I guess it does a little, but I hadn't given it much thought until recently. This case is the first time I've worked closely with others and it's become very apparent to me now that I'm not like you or the rest of the team."

"It's okay to be different," she told him.

"I know, but my differences have caused me to be insensitive." He paused to chew on his thumbnail. After a moment, his eyes darted back to Aya's. L took his hand away from his mouth and said clearly, "I shouldn't have assumed that you were alright with staying inside like me. I see now that I should have asked how you felt." He looked at her searchingly. "I only hope that you don't hate me for it."

"I don't. I can tell that you're sorry for your mistake."

He nodded. "Yes. I've been worrying a lot since you left because I realized I wasn't being a good friend to you. I'm determined to change that now. So if I ever do something wrong in the future, please let me know and I will correct my error."

Aya smiled at his sincerity. "I definitely will."

"Good." L got up from the couch. "Well lets go downstairs and get to work. I was thinking that maybe we should question Misa Amane today. She might confess more easily than Raito."

"That's a good idea," she told him as they exited her apartment.

* * *

L had a private talk with Ryuk and found out that Misa's shinigami eyes had stopped working when she relinquished ownership of the Death Note. This new knowledge annoyed L. "So that blindfold isn't serving a purpose at all?" he asked.

"That's correct."

He scowled at the shinigami. "Why didn't you tell me this sooner?"

"Because you never asked me," Ryuk replied, taking a bite of his apple.

L went upstairs to inform Watari of the new information and to outline his plan with him.

"Even if Ryuk says that she doesn't have shinigami eyes anymore, I still don't want to risk her seeing our faces when we're questioning her. Can you go out and buy some of those cheap plastic masks from a party store?" He thought about Aya's nightmare and added, "But not a tengu mask or anything with a scary face." L paused to run his chap stick over his lips. He replaced the cap and stuck it in his pocket. "I want to question her without her memories and then with her memories. This time we'll need a rope or something else to secure the Death Note to her hands that way she can't do what Raito did and fling it away."

"Alright. I'll make the preparations and then leave for the party store."

"Thanks Watari. While you're doing that, I'll go downstairs and explain everything to the team."

* * *

L was adjusting his red and white fox mask when Watari opened the door and led Misa Amane into the room. The curtains were drawn and the only lights were from some table lamps. Despite the dim environment, Misa blinked her eyes which weren't yet accustomed to being without a blindfold.

"Hello Amane-san. Allow me to officially introduce myself. I am the detective L."

Misa shielded her cuffed hands in front of her eyes so she could see him better. "If that's true and you aren't Misa's stalker, then why are both of you wearing masks?" she asked.

"It's a precaution we've taken since you no longer have the blindfold on. Please take a seat, Amane-san. There are some questions I would like to ask you."

There was now a small table which L would use to present his evidence on.

She sat down. "As Misa has told you many times, I don't know anything about Kira."

"We're not going to talk about Kira just yet. Right now I want to know how you met Raito Yagami," L said, crouching in the armchair on the opposite side of the table.

She seemed to brighten at hearing her boyfriend's name. "Misa saw Raito in Aoyama and instantly fell in love with him!"

"Did you go up and talk to Raito?"

"No, but Misa followed after him and found out his name."

"How did you manage to do that?"

She looked momentarily confused. "Misa can't remember for some reason."

_ *Of course you can't, because you found out his name by using your shinigami eyes,* _he added silently to himself. "Raito told me that you were stalking him."

"What?! Raito is Misa's boyfriend!" she exclaimed in a high pitched squeal that hurt L's ears.

"Not according to him you aren't," he replied.

"Misa doesn't believe you."

L shrugged and changed the subject. "You told me before that Kira was a hero to you because he executed the man who killed your parents."

"Yes, it's true. Misa admires Kira a lot."

"What if I told you that Raito Yagami is actually Kira?"

Her eyes went wide. "That would make me very happy! Misa would love Raito even more if that's true," she said with a smile.

He felt supremely disgusted with Misa. "You do realize that Kira is a mass murderer who has even killed FBI agents, don't you?"

"Kira didn't have a choice. They were trying to get in the way of his justice."

"What Kira is doing isn't justice. He is judging criminals by killing them and in the process he has become a criminal himself," L said patiently.

"Kira is making the world a safer place by punishing evil people," Misa insisted. "He is killing for noble reasons, so Kira isn't like those criminals at all."

L realized he wasn't going to get anywhere by arguing with Misa. "So lets pretend that Raito is Kira and that you found this out somehow. Would you help Raito?"

She nodded enthusiastically. "Of course."

He placed the Death Note on the table.

"What's that?" Misa asked.

"This is how Kira kills. He writes a person's name down in this shinigami's notebook." L got up to open the page. "Do you recognize the handwriting inside?"

"This looks like my handwriting, but Misa doesn't remember writing these names!" she exclaimed in confusion.

He closed the cover of the notebook. "Amane-san, please rest your hands on top of the Death Note. It will help you to remember."

She looked at him skeptically, but did as he asked. Misa's eyes went wide and she gasped. While she was still regaining her memories, Watari was able to secure her hands to the notebook and the table by using silver duct tape.

L went back to his armchair. "You remember now, don't you Amane-san? Or perhaps I should call you the 2nd Kira instead."

She glanced up at him with a shocked expression.

"You know, you murdered one of my men by writing his name down. I don't appreciate that at all."

Misa's eyes darted towards Ryuk, who was standing behind L. "Hello Misa," he greeted. "Long time no see."

"What's going on? Misa doesn't understand," she managed to say.

L read out the letter that Raito had left for Misa. When he was finished, he slid it across the table so that she could examine it.

"Do you have Raito locked up too?" Misa asked frantically.

"Yes."

She shook her head in disbelief. "No, that can't be possible."

"Oh it is and he's very angry with you," L lied. "He blames you for this because you were so careless when you sent the tapes to the studio. Your foolish actions led us right to him."

She bit down on her lip and L could see tears swimming in her eyes. "Let me see Raito."

"Definitely not."

"Please! All of this is my fault. Misa has to apologize!" She had now raised her voice to an even higher pitch than usual.

L rubbed at his ear; her shrill tone was giving him a headache. "Amane-san, all I'm interested in hearing from you is a full confession."

"Misa will as long as you bring Raito here!"

He didn't have to think twice about her request. "Watari, please get Raito Yagami from his cell."

Watari left the room and L stared at Misa through the eyeholes of his mask. "While we're waiting, why don't you tell me about the shinigami eye deal you made," he suggested.

She pressed her lips together and refused to speak. Ryuk cackled, but L wasn't amused. _*This is exactly why I didn't want to question her before... she's nothing but an obnoxious, immature, brat,* _he thought, feeling extremely irritated.

L walked over to the window and looked outside. Even though it was early afternoon, the sky was dark with rain clouds. _*No wonder my head is pounding right now.* _The humid, rainy weather in Japan always gave L the worst headaches. A few minutes later, it was pouring. He watched as pedestrians without umbrellas ran for cover down below. Thunder rumbled loudly and he saw a forked lightning bolt flash in the distance. L hadn't always hated storms. In fact, he used to love the nice cooling rains in England. He was still reminiscing about them when Watari arrived with his prisoner.

"Raito!" Misa yelled. "Raito, are you alright? You look so tired. You don't look like yourself at all," she said in concern.

"Of course I'm not alright," he snapped. "Ryuuzaki, why did you bring me here? And why are you wearing that ridiculous mask?"

L ignored his last question. "Amane-san asked to see you. She's prepared to confess to being the 2nd Kira."

Raito turned his eyes on the blonde girl. "So it's true then. You really did kill those people on Sakura TV that day. One of those police officers was my father's subordinate!" Raito yelled.

"As you can see, Raito currently has no memory of being Kira," L pointed out.

"Yeah I have no memory of it because it isn't true," he said through gritted teeth.

"That's right, it isn't true," Misa said in agreement. "I'm the one who is Kira. You have the proof written down in my own hand. I murdered those people on live TV. Raito had nothing to do with it! I'm the one who made the shinigami eye deal. That's how I was able to see the police officer's names and kill them instantly. So please, let Raito go!"

"Amane-san, while I'm sure Raito appreciates the sacrifice you're willing to make on his behalf, it's really no use. We have overwhelming evidence that Raito is Kira so he won't be leaving here."

Misa was sobbing now. "I'm so sorry, this is all my fault! I ruined everything," she choked out.

L noticed that Misa had stopped referring to herself in the third person. _*She must be too upset to put on her cute act,* _he thought.

"Please take this tape off my hands. I want to go to Raito," she said, looking at L through her tears.

"Ryuuzaki, don't listen to her. I don't want that murderer touching me!"

Raito's words annoyed L, who decided to grant Misa's request. "You have no right calling her a murderer when you've killed far more people than she has," he said, gently removing the duct tape from Misa's hands. As soon as the Death Note was pulled away, Misa went back to her bubbly self.

"Raito!" she exclaimed, wiping at her eyes. "Misa must be crying out of happiness!"

L took her arm and escorted her over to her boyfriend, who was looking confused at Misa's change in personality.

"What's going on?" Raito asked.

"She's lost her memories now that she let go of the Death Note," L explained. "Amane-san, are you the 2nd Kira?" he asked in order to demonstrate the truth of his statement.

"Of course not," she said with a little laugh. L let go of her and Misa threw her shackled arms around Raito's neck. Because of their height differences, Raito was now bent over in a similar posture to L's.

"Misa missed you so much!" She stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss on the cheek. "I love you, Raito."

"Hey, stop that," he said, trying to move away from her lips. Raito couldn't extricate himself from her embrace because of the shackles. "Ryuuzaki, please get her away from me."

"You're being so mean! Misa hasn't seen you in such a long time."

"Alright, that's enough," L said, reaching for Misa's arms.

"No! I want a proper kiss on the lips first," she said, pulling Raito's head down towards her.

"You're going to choke me," he gasped.

Watari and L managed to extricate her arms from Raito's neck, but not before she landed a kiss on Raito's mouth.

"Watari, I'd like you to take Amane-san back to her cell first."

The older man nodded and attempted to guide Misa from the room. She instantly started struggling and making a fuss about leaving.

L's composure finally snapped. "Stop that right now!" The pain in his head was increasing. _*How can I get her to shut up?* _Then an idea came to him. "If you calm down, Watari will remove your bonds when you get back to your cell."

"My bonds? You mean that Misa will be able to move around freely?"

"Yes, just as long as you stop with your tantrum," he said in a tone of forced calm.

Misa quit struggling and called out her goodbyes to Raito, who was trying his best to ignore her.

L breathed a sigh of relief when they exited the room. "That is the very last time I question her," he mumbled, taking off his mask and tossing it down onto the table.

"She's insane," Raito said and proceeded to wipe his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt.

L ran his hands through his hair. The mask had made him sweaty. "You should be grateful that she loves you enough to take on the blame. Someone like you certainly doesn't deserve it considering that you're guiltier than she is."

Raito's eyes flashed angrily at his words. "Quit saying that I'm Kira!"

L's energy was gone. All he wanted to do was get out of that room, take some pain medication, and lie down. He was just imagining how nice it would be to get under his bed covers when a scream snapped him back to attention. L turned around and saw Raito cowering against the wall. Ryuk was standing in front of him, holding a piece of paper in his claw. He cackled maniacally at Raito's fearful expression.

"Ryuk, what are you doing?" L asked, walking over to the shinigami.

"Just having some fun with Raito," Ryuk replied. "I wanted him to see me."

L heaved a sigh and wished that his life could go back to how it used to be. _*I've had nothing but trouble since taking on this case.*_

* * *

Everyone cheered and congratulated L on getting Misa's confession when he got out of the elevator. Aya noticed that L didn't seem happy about it though.

"Thanks," he told them and headed for the couch, "but I don't feel good right now so I can't share in your enthusiasms."

"What's wrong?" Aya asked.

He flopped down on his stomach. "I have a headache and my nose is stuffy," he said miserably.

"You're having an allergy attack?"

"Yes. I always get like this when it rains. My throat is starting to hurt too."

Aya leaned over him and brushed back his hair to feel his forehead. "Well at least you don't have a fever."

L gazed up at her with wide eyes.

"Oh sorry. I did that without thinking," Aya said, pulling her hand away. "Have you taken any medicine?"

"Yeah, I took an allergy pill and some aspirin."

"Would you like some tea to soothe your throat?" she suggested.

L nodded and put his head back down. "That would be great."

"Does anyone else want anything from the breakfast room?" asked Aya.

Matsuda walked over to her. "I do, but I'll go with you."

Just then, Ryuk flew down through the ceiling.

"Where have you been?" Aizawa asked the shinigami.

Ryuk chuckled and said, "I was just antagonizing Raito. He's terrified of me without his memories."

"You shouldn't bother him like that," Aizawa said with a frown. "Chief Yagami wouldn't like it."

"Yes, well he's not here right now, is he? I have to do something to relieve this boredom," Ryuk replied.

* * *

While L was waiting for Aya to return with his tea, he closed his eyes and recalled the sensation of her hand on his forehead. It was a gesture of concerned kindness that L had never received before._ *Feeling crappy isn't so bad if it means getting attention from her. Maybe I should pretend to be sick sometimes... although if she finds out that I'm faking, she'd definitely be angry about it. I suppose I better not risk it then.*_

He was still lost in daydreams when someone touched his shoulder. L opened his eyes and saw Aya holding out a mug with a Starbucks logo on it. He managed to sit up and pull his legs onto the couch, but a stabbing pain went through his head at the sudden movement and he couldn't suppress a wince.

"Poor Ryuuzaki," Aya said sympathetically and sat down next to him. "I didn't put anything in the tea because milk and sugar won't be helpful right now."

She held it out for him and L took it skeptically. "You want me to drink it black?"

"It's not going to kill you. Just try it," she encouraged.

He took a hesitant sip and made a face. "It's bitter."

She laughed. "Don't be a baby. I know you can do it."

L continued to sip it, and while the taste didn't improve, the warm liquid was soothing to his sore throat. "Thanks for bringing this down for me," he said, glancing at Aya.

She was resting her chin in her hands, watching him with a little smile on her face. "You're welcome."

He set the mug on the table after drinking half of it.

"Are you going to finish that?" she asked.

"Probably not."

"Then I'll go ahead and drink the rest," she said, reaching for the handle.

L stared at her. "Don't you care about the germs?"

"Ryuuzaki, you're just having allergies," Aya reminded him. "You don't have a contagious cold. I don't want the tea to go to waste."

He watched as Aya took a sip from the same spot where his own lips had been just moments before. L touched his mouth; suddenly recalling the comment she made to him weeks ago about indirect kisses. His stomach gave a little leap at the thought. L wasn't quite sure if it was a feeling of pleasure or nervousness. He tried to hide his discomfort by saying something knowledgeable.

"People can get meningitis from sharing drinks," he pointed out. "I could be a carrier of it and not even know."

She pulled the cup away from her mouth and gave him an amused smile. "You're really paranoid, aren't you?"

"I just don't want you to blame me if you get sick," L said defensively.

Aya finished the rest of the tea and slid the mug on the table. She turned back to him and said, "I wouldn't blame you for something that I chose to do. It would be my own fault, not yours."

L didn't have a response for that. After a moment he said, "I need to lay back down."

"I'll move then," she told him and started to rise.

He reached out instinctively and pulled on her sleeve to stop her. "You don't have to. If you sit on the end of the couch, I can scrunch my body up."

"Well okay, but if you're not comfortable then let me know." She scooted over to the end.

L turned his body so that he was facing the back of the couch. He felt his hair brushing against Aya's leg. L remembered a scene from a movie where a guy rested his head in a girl's lap, but he wasn't going to do that since everyone was in the room with them. He heard Aya turning the pages of a book. He closed his eyes at the soothing noise and took back his thought from earlier._*If my life returned to how it was before the Kira case, I wouldn't be able to hang out with Aya like this… so I guess I don't mind that things have changed, even if it is troublesome.*_

"I can make you some cinnamon toast when your throat starts to feel better if you'd like," Aya offered. "That's what I always eat when I'm not feeling well."

"Yeah, I'd like that. Thank you," he said quietly. L decided then that he very much enjoyed being fussed over.

* * *

**A/N: I have Misa referring to herself in the 3****rd**** person because this is how she speaks in the original Japanese version. The English dub doesn't keep this aspect of Misa's childish personality, but I wanted to replicate it here for accuracy.**

**L is starting to change little by little. I wanted to show his contemplative, vulnerable side in this chapter. I hope you liked it :D I'll be posting chapter 14 sometime next week so stay tuned!**


	14. Birthday

**Chapter 14: Birthday**

**Late July**

Matsuda was driving Aya home on Friday evening. He would talk about any subject and his good mood was infectious. Aya felt like a kid again whenever they were together. It was easy to just have fun and laugh with Matsuda. He was the kind of brother she had always wanted.

When they arrived on her street, Aya saw a flashy sports car in her driveway. _*Oh great, it must be some new rich jerk that Hana is dating. This is horrible timing…*_

Matsuda pulled over on the street, which gave them a perfect view of Hana opening up the passenger door. The man inside pulled on her arm before she could leave and ended up giving her a lingering goodbye kiss.

Aya glanced at Matsuda, whose expression was one of surprised heartbreak. He was gripping the steering wheel so hard that his knuckles had turned white.

"I'm so sorry you had to see that, Matsuda," she said, reaching out and touching his shoulder in a sympathetic way.

He let go of the steering wheel and gave her a brave smile. "Oh that's okay. Your sister is a beautiful woman so of course she would have a boyfriend."

"I doubt that it's serious, well at least not on his end anyway," Aya told him. "Hana always picks the wrong men to date."

They both watched as she closed the car door. The windows were tinted, which made it impossible to see what he looked like. Aya knew that he was probably gorgeous though. Hana was always meeting celebrities because of her job. The sports car pulled out of the driveway and sped down the street. Her sister was in such a daze that she hadn't even noticed them. Hana tucked a stray curl behind her ear and smiled happily as she walked up to the house.

Aya sighed. "My sister is so oblivious. She always falls in love too quickly and ends up with a broken heart."

After a moment, Matsuda said, "I think there's something admirable about people who can fall in love despite being hurt in the past."

"I guess, but it's also a foolish thing to do."

Matsuda gave her a sad smile. "We're all fools when we're in love."

"Hmm, you're surprisingly mature, aren't you?" Aya joked, trying to lighten the mood.

"Of course I'm mature! Don't tease people who are older and more experienced than you are," he said in a stern tone, but he ruffled her hair to show that he wasn't insulted.

Aya laughed and ran a hand through her hair to smooth it. "Thanks for bringing me home."

"No problem. I'll pick you up on Monday morning at around ten, alright?"

"Okay. Have a good weekend, Matsuda." She retrieved her overnight bag from the floor and slipped the strap over her shoulder.

"You too, but don't go out on any dates," he added.

"Not you as well?" Aya said in exasperation. "My father is very over-protective of me, so I don't need you to be that way too."

"No, no, that's not what I meant!" Matsuda exclaimed, waving his hands in dismissal. "I said it because I was thinking about how upset Ryuuzaki would be if you got a boyfriend."

Aya blinked. "You really think so?"

"Of course. It's obvious to everyone that Ryuuzaki likes you. Well, he may not have realized it himself yet since he's quite ignorant about romance."

"I think he would object to being called ignorant, Matsuda," Aya said with a smirk. "Ryuuzaki would probably use the term 'emotionally immature' in reference to himself."

Matsuda grinned. "Yes, I'm sure that he would."

Aya opened up the door and got out of the car. Before closing it, she leaned down and said, "Don't give up on Hana because of what you saw today. I'm still determined to play matchmaker. She really needs a good guy like you."

"Thanks, Aya. I'll be counting on you then," he said, trying to sound cheerful.

Aya could tell that his tone was forced though._ *Poor Matsuda… he's such an idealist that I'm sure his fantasies have been shattered because of what he saw.*_ She waved goodbye to him and then walked up to her front door, feeling irritated with her sister. _*Why does she have to be like that? Why can't she just have good judgment about people?* _

Hana's personality had played a key role in the development of her own. Witnessing all of her sister's mistakes made her determined not to repeat them. While Hana was fun loving and spontaneous, Aya was serious and dependable. In a way, she had taken on the role of the eldest sibling. Hana even looked younger than her most days because of the cute style that she dressed in.

Aya used her key to open the door and called out, "I'm home," as she entered the house. She had only just taken off her shoes when her sister appeared with a big smile on her face.

"Welcome back, Aya-chan! I just got home too."

"Yes I know. We saw you in the driveway," Aya said, putting on her slippers and heading for the kitchen. "So who's the guy this time? Please tell me that he's not an idol," she said dryly.

Hana drew her eyebrows together at her sister's disapproving tone. "No, he's not. His name is Keisuke Kanemoto and he's a photographer."

Aya opened up the fridge to get out the water jug. "Is he older than you?"

"Yes, he's twenty-eight."

"Well at least that's an improvement over your last boyfriend who was a twenty-year-old model," she said, pouring the water into a tall glass.

"Hey, what's your problem? You just got home and you're already getting an attitude with me."

Aya turned to look at her sister. "Matsuda saw you kissing that guy and it broke his heart."

Her eyes widened. "What? He doesn't even know me!"

"You're right, he doesn't, because there's no way he would like you if he knew how shallow you are," she said forcefully and instantly regretted her words.

Hana looked furious for a moment, but her expression soon transformed into a wounded one. "You'll always look down on me, won't you? No matter what I do, I'll never be good enough," she said, her eyes filling with tears. "Not for you, or for anyone else in this family."

Aya gazed at her sister in surprise. _*Has she been feeling like this the whole time? I always thought that she was immune to criticism,* _she thought, biting her lip. "I'm sorry, Hana. I shouldn't have said that. I'm just frustrated because Matsuda is such a good guy. I wish you would give him a chance instead of going out with rich assholes." Aya took a drink of water to settle her anger.

Hana wiped her eyes and gave a little laugh. "Calling them assholes is a little harsh, don't you think?"

"Not at all. Every guy you've dated has been one."

"Well they didn't start out that way," Hana insisted.

Aya sat down at the kitchen table. "Of course not. They put on their sweet act and you fall for it every time. That's a huge character flaw, Hana. You either need to stop being so gullible or you need to start dating a different type of guy."

Hana remained standing in the middle of the kitchen. "I can't control who I'm attracted to."

"You may not be able to control it, but you can stop yourself from acting on that impulse," Aya replied sensibly.

She shook her head. "You don't know what it's like to be captivated so completely by an attractive man. Until you experience that for yourself, you'll never understand me."

Hana walked out of the room, leaving Aya to consider her words. _*Then I hope I never understand her. Being ruled over by your own desires is the worst kind of self-inflicted slavery.*_ She got up to put in a microwave meal and then went into the hallway to get her new ipad out of her over-night bag. Aya had bought it as an early birthday present for herself with some of the money from her first pay check.

She sat down to eat and opened her manga app. Aya was in the middle of reading 'Cat Street' when her mother came into the kitchen with a few grocery bags. Mrs. Takeda's curly, shoulder length brown hair was pulled back into a ponytail and she was wearing a light yellow sheath dress. The combination gave her mother a more youthful appearance.

"Hello Aya. I was hoping I'd get home before you, but the store was so busy today." Mrs. Takeda fanned her flushed face. "It's so hot out there that I can hardly stand it! I think I'll take a shower before your father gets home."

"Do you want me to get dinner started?" Aya asked.

"No sweetie, you just got home after working hard the whole week. I won't be upstairs more than fifteen minutes. Could you put the groceries away for me though?"

She nodded and closed the cover of her ipad. "Yeah, I will." Aya got up and began to unpack the bags. Besides the usual food to prepare dinner, Mrs. Takeda had also purchased cake ingredients. Aya's birthday was next Wednesday, but she would be celebrating it early with her family.

She had enough time to read two more chapters before her mother came downstairs again. Ciel had followed her in and Aya called him over. He jumped onto her lap and she ran her hand over his silky fur.

"Aya, would you like to go shopping tomorrow and then have cake on Sunday?"

She looked up at her mother, who was now wearing cropped pants and a T-shirt. She had put her glasses on too. "Yeah, that sounds perfect."

* * *

When L asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday, Aya replied, "I want to go to Sea Paradise. It's a theme park aquarium."

L stopped licking the pink strawberry icing off a donut and looked at her. "That's a strangely childish place to visit on the day that you officially become an adult."

Aya shrugged. "Don't you like doing childish things?"

"Of course. I'm just surprised that you do. You seem like more of a museum girl to me." L took a bite of the donut.

"Oh I am. I love museums, but I saw a commercial for it the other day and it made me feel nostalgic."

L washed his donut down with a swig of coffee. "Alright. We'll go on Wednesday then."

* * *

Aya was wearing one of the new outfits she got over the weekend to the aquarium; a pale blue chambray sundress and white eyelet ballet flats. It was another hot day, so she secured her hair in a low, messy bun with a rubber band and bobby pins. Aya put some light makeup on and then rubbed sunscreen on her arms, legs, and back. She made sure to pack her oversize prescription sunglasses and a cardigan before leaving.

Mogi, Matsuda, and L were already waiting for her when she arrived downstairs. Aizawa would be meeting them there because he was bringing his family along.

L was staring at her longer than usual. "What is it?" Aya asked him self consciously.

"I like your dress," he told her.

"Oh, thank you," she said, giving him a smile. "It was a birthday present from my parents."

* * *

Matsuda came over to them and said, "Ready to go, Aya-chan?"

She nodded and walked beside him as they headed towards the door. Matsuda was wearing stylish khaki pants and a blue polo shirt. L couldn't help but notice how good they looked together. _*Like a couple,* _he added to himself. He knew that it wasn't like that between them, but it still bothered him. L glanced down at the same outfit he always wore and thought, _*I'm sure I look like a bum standing next to her.* _He smoothed his shaggy hair and frowned.

"What's the matter, Ryuuzaki?" Ryuk asked.

"Nothing."

L also felt annoyed that he couldn't travel in the same car as Aya because the shinigami took up too much space in the backseat. He was starting to wish he had a Japanese driver's license, although operating a car wasn't something he was particularly good at. L had driven a bit while he was in England, but only on country roads without any traffic. It was much easier (and safer) for Watari to drive him around. He did have a moped and pilot license though.

"Mogi-san, I'll meet you in the car. I have to make a quick call," L told him.

Mogi nodded and headed for the door. L called Watari on his mobile and asked how the party preparations were going.

"Very good. I've just finished buying decorations and other supplies. Now I'm on my way to the florist shop. You said you wanted something with sunflowers, right?"

"Yeah and make sure it's large enough for a table centerpiece. What about the cake we ordered over the weekend?"

"It's ready. I'm picking it up last."

"Is Yagami-san still planning to come by for dinner?" L asked.

"Yes. He sounded much better on the phone when I talked to him earlier. I think the time off has helped him."

"That's good to hear. I'd really like to have him back on the team sooner rather than later. Well, thanks for picking up everything for the party."

"You're welcome. I'll see you this evening."

L ended the call and slipped his phone back into his pocket. Ryuk was still waiting for him. _*It's like having a shadow that talks. I'm going to be stuck with him as long as the Death Note is around,* _he thought bitterly.

As much as L wanted to get rid of the notebook, he couldn't destroy evidence just yet. He was still holding out a little hope that somehow it would be enough for a conviction. While L didn't want the public to know the full details about Kira, he was starting to think that it might be possible to inform the Japanese prime minister, who could secretly handle Misa and Raito's imprisonment in the future. Once that happened, L would be able to get rid of the Death Note and prevent the government from getting their hands on such a dangerous weapon.

"So what exactly is the big deal about birthdays?" Ryuk asked, following after L.

"It's just a way for people to celebrate someone's life."

"We don't have such things in the shinigami realm. We live so long that it doesn't really matter." Ryuk looked at L curiously. "So cake and flowers are standard practices for a party?"

"Yes. Not that I've been to any parties before though. I hope I'm getting everything right." L bit his thumbnail tensely. His eyes went back to Ryuk and he asked, "Did Raito really consider killing Aya?"

"Yeah, but I told him that doing so would only attract your attention even more."

L looked away and focused on the floor as he walked into the hallway. "Thanks for that."

Ryuk let out a loud cackle. "What's this? The great L is thanking me for something?"

L stopped in front of the door to the parking garage and looked over his shoulder at the shinigami. "Aya probably wouldn't be here today to celebrate her birthday if you hadn't talked him out of it, so yeah, I'm thanking you for saving her life."

"It was just a whim of mine," Ryuk told him. "I didn't do it to be noble."

"The outcome of a decision matters more than the motivation behind it," L replied, remembering what Aya had told him the day they played tennis.

"That's quite philosophical. Did you come up with that yourself?"

"No, that's what Aya believes. I've never given morals much of a thought. I'm usually an indifferent person."

"Yes, I've gathered that much. You know, I used to think that you and Raito were somewhat similar, but I know better now." Ryuk looked at him thoughtfully. "Ideals are everything to Raito and you don't care about such things. You play the game, but without any passion."

"And that makes me a defective human, doesn't it?"

Ryuk shrugged. "Not necessarily. You did just thank me for saving Aya, which means that you care about her in some capacity. That's more than I can say about Raito, who wanted to kill Misa. I don't think he has the ability to love anyone at all… so I would at least call you more of a human being than he is."

L felt very pleased at these words, but he tried to hide it by pulling open the door to the parking garage.

"Of course, you don't have as much humanity as the rest of the task force," Ryuk added with a laugh.

"Well obviously. They're the elite of society. Not many people have the same kind of lofty morals as they do." L opened up the car door and slid into the passenger seat. _*I know that I'll never be as good as they are, but I'm satisfied as long as I'm less of a monster than Raito Yagami is.*_

* * *

They ended up parking in a public lot and taking the train to Sea Paradise, which was located on its own island where cars were not allowed entrance. The place was huge and had many rides along with the aquarium. Aya saw L's eyes light up when he spotted the roller coaster.

"I want to ride it," he announced. "Who wants to go with me?"

"I'll go. I like roller coasters," Mogi told him.

That surprised Aya a bit since he didn't look like an adventurous person at all. She was glad that someone offered because heights scared her. While L and Mogi got in line, Matsuda and Aya went to meet Aizawa and his family who were in the food court.

Aya was introduced to Aizawa's wife, Eriko, and his daughter, Yumi, who looked to be around 4 years old. She was a miniature version of her mother with the same short brown hair.

"And who's this?" Aya asked, leaning over the stroller to peak at the baby.

"That's Arata. He's almost seven months old," Aizawa said with a fond smile.

His son was wearing a sailor outfit and he had quite a lot of hair, which was sticking up. Aya bent down and offered her finger to the little boy, who grasped it in his hand and looked at her with big brown eyes. She spotted a matching hat sitting on top of the stroller. "Aizawa-san, he's so adorable! I love his outfit too."

"I picked it out," Yumi announced proudly.

After the children finished eating, the group left to go and walk around the park. By that time, L and Mogi were done riding the roller coaster and met back up with them near the carousel. Yumi asked Aya to ride it with her and she agreed to go. Eriko held Arata on her lap and Aizawa stood on the steps, taking pictures as the baby boy laughed with glee. Yumi wanted to ride it again, and this time, Aya dragged L along with them.

"Get some pictures of this, Matsuda," she requested as she passed by.

He laughed. "Of course. This is a memory that needs to be documented. I bet Chief would love to see this!"

* * *

Yumi was on the horse next to Aya and L was on a horse behind them. When the carousel started up, Aya turned around and grinned at him. "Isn't this fun?" she asked.

"Not really," he replied. Ryuk was laughing at him from the sidelines, which he was trying his best to ignore. _*It's a good thing these kids can't see him… they'd have nightmares for the rest of their lives.*_

After their carousel ride, they went into the aquarium to get out of the heat. L stood in front of one of the massive viewing windows and marveled at the sight. Ryuk was enjoying it even more though. He kept flying around, making loud exclamations.

Aya walked beside L and they spent a lot of time pointing out sea creatures to each other. The underwater tunnel was his favorite though; partly because it felt as though he was inside the ocean, but mostly because Ryuk couldn't fit inside.

She got out her phone and said, "Lets take a picture together."

"Umm, okay."

Aya put her face next to his and held out the phone. "One, two, three, smile!"

L was too conscious of her close proximity and he didn't end up smiling in time.

When Aya showed him the picture, he thought he looked rather scared; like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. She laughed. "Lets try this again."

This time he was ready and he managed to give a little closed mouth smile.

Aya pulled away from him and said, "That's much better. I think I'll set this picture as my wallpaper."

She held her phone out so L could see. The blue light of the tunnel had helped to camouflage the dark circles under his eyes. "Will you send it to me?" he asked.

She nodded. "Of course." After putting her phone away, Aya slipped her arm through his. "It's so we don't get separated in the crowd," she told him.

Aya was still holding onto him even after they emerged from the tunnel, which caused Yumi to ask Aya if he was her boyfriend. L glanced at her, who smiled down at the little girl and said, "Ryuuzaki is my friend."

"But you're touching his arm," Yumi pointed out in that annoyingly obvious way that only kids have.

L was sure she was going to let go because of that observation, but she didn't.

"That's okay, friends can do this kind of thing with each other. If Ryuuzaki was my boyfriend, I would be holding his hand."

"Oh, I see." The little girl then proceeded to chatter about different kinds of fish. Yumi eventually left them alone after being called away by Aizawa.

"Do you hold the arm of your friends quite often?" L asked in a lowered tone.

Aya shook her head. "I don't really have any close friends anymore. I've walked like this with my family though." She met his eyes. "I can stop if it's bothering you."

"It isn't," he said honestly. L noticed a teenage boy giving Aya an appreciative glance. When his eyes met L's, the boy's expression seemed to ask: _why exactly is she hanging on you? _He wasn't sure of that reason himself, but he felt incredibly pleased about it nonetheless. L gave the boy a smirk, who frowned at him and looked away.

"Oh wow, these moon jellyfish are gorgeous!" Aya exclaimed, pulling L over to another viewing window. The jellyfish seemed to be glowing with an otherworldly light. Watching them pulsate and drift slowly through the water was strangely calming.

They spent what seemed like hours in the aquarium, but L wasn't bored at all. There was too much to see. When their group finally made it back outside, they were able to watch a dolphin show and then go around to separate tanks to see animals like penguins and seals up close.

It was around 4 PM when they went back into the food court to eat lunch. Before leaving, they visited a few gift shops. Aya bought some small souvenirs to keep and give to her family. L saw her pick up a penguin plushie and hesitate before putting it back on the shelf. When she wandered off to look at something else, he brought it up to the register. After paying for her gift, he found her looking at sunglasses.

"Ryuuzaki, come and try these on," she said, holding out a retro aviator style for him.

He slipped the bag onto his arm and took the sunglasses from her.

"Woah, you look so cool! Hold on, let me take a picture." She fumbled for her phone in her purse. "You should really get them."

"I don't go outside very much though."

She smiled. "Well I'll drag you out from time to time that way you can wear them."

L glanced in the mirror and thought they looked alright, so he once again made his way over to the register.

"I see that you found something else," the older lady said in an amused tone.

"Yeah, I was talked into it," L replied, reaching into his back pocket to get out his wallet.

She smiled at him and rang up the sunglasses. "I saw. Your girlfriend has good taste. These will never go out of style."

L could have corrected her mistake, but he chose not to. He didn't mind at all that they were being mistaken for a couple.

She ran his credit card through the machine and then said, "I'll just get rid of this tag for you and you'll be able to wear them out." The lady got a scissors from a drawer and snipped off the price. "Here you are."

L took them from her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Enjoy the rest of your day!"

He inclined his head. "You too. Bye."

Encountering friendly people was a rare occurrence for L. Hardly anyone even remembered to make small talk with him because they were too distracted by his peculiar appearance. For once, L didn't feel like a complete freak; in fact, he felt almost like a regular person.

* * *

When they were on the train, Aya looked at L's bag. "What else did you buy?" she asked curiously.

He handed it to Aya. "A present for you. I saw you looking at it before."

L watched her face transform into a smile when she pulled out the stuffed penguin. "That's sweet of you! Thanks, Ryuuzaki." Aya set the penguin on her lap.

"No problem, I'm glad you like it."

Matsuda ended up passing around his camera to show everyone the photos he took. L was surprised to see quite a few of himself and Aya in the aquarium. There was a shot of them from behind as they stood admiring a school of fish. Aya still had her arm linked with his.

"This is a really good one." She turned to Matsuda and asked, "Will you send it to my email?"

"Absolutely. I thought you two looked cute like that."

_ *Cute?* _L thought, glancing at it again. _*Could it be that we don't actually look that bad together?*_

* * *

Aya took a shower before going down to eat dinner. It came as a surprise when she walked in to see multicolored helium filled balloons drifting up to the ceiling. There was a large bouquet of bright flowers set out on the table, along with clear turquoise glasses and matching plates that reminded Aya of the ocean. Everyone besides Aizawa and Watari were already inside the dining room. Even Chief Yagami was there.

"Happy Birthday!" they called out in unison.

Aya felt momentarily speechless, but managed to thank them. "Everything looks so amazing!" She sat in the empty seat beside Matsuda and poured herself a drink. L got up to move the flowers and when he sat back down, Aya smiled across the table at him.

Watari came in a few minutes later with a stack of pizza boxes. They sat around eating and talking about the day's events at the aquarium. Once they finished their food, Matsuda got out his camera and started showing Chief Yagami the pictures.

"You look like you're having fun on that carousel, Ryuuzaki," Chief Yagami teased. The expression on L's face in the picture was far from amused.

"Yeah right," L muttered sarcastically. "I felt like an idiot."

"Ryuuzaki was a good sport about it though," Aya broke in. "He rode on it as a favor to me."

"Is that so?" Chief Yagami asked, addressing L. "Looks like you've gotten more thoughtful in my absence."

L just shrugged and looked uncomfortable with the attention. Aya glanced at him and thought, _*He has changed, hasn't he?* _It made her feel hopeful.

* * *

They didn't have tea and cake until after 8 PM. Watari set out white china plates and cups with a blue flowered pattern on them. L carefully lit the twenty sparkler candles with an oversize lighter and the five men sang "Happy Birthday" in slightly off key voices that made Aya grin. She managed to blow them out in one breath, but she didn't make a wish. Aya had made wishes in the past and the opposite happened, so now she was superstitious about doing that.

Watari cut the cake and Aya took the first bite. It was delicious; chocolate frosting and a rich chocolate cake that had the consistency of a brownie. "My god, this is like heaven," she praised. They all agreed that it was one of the best cakes they had ever eaten.

"Good choice, Ryuuzaki," Mogi said appreciatively.

"Well he is a cake expert," Matsuda commented and then turned to L. "Have you tried this recipe before?"

"No, but I figured it would be good since it's from my favorite bakery."

After they finished eating, Aya was presented with a gift certificate to a bookstore. "You guys know me so well, thank you!" she exclaimed.

Chief Yagami left an hour later and Watari excused himself to clean up the dishes. The rest of them went up to the game room. Aya mostly watched them play since she had never been much of a gamer. By 11 PM, she was yawning.

"Are you tired?" L asked. "Do you want to go back to your room?"

"I probably should before I fall asleep. Will you walk me back?"

He nodded and they rose from the couch at the same time.

Aya said goodnight to everyone. Ryuk was too preoccupied with playing a Wii Mario game to follow after them, which both parties were grateful for.

* * *

L had just pressed the button for Aya's floor when he felt a tug on his sleeve. He turned around and didn't even have time to react before being enveloped in a hug. Aya's arms encircled his neck and he felt her warm body against his own. L's heartbeat quickened. "Aya?" he asked in surprise. She was so close that he could smell her shampoo.

"I've wanted to do this for a long time so please bear with it," she said softly and her breath brushed the side of his neck. "Thank you for making my birthday so special."

After a moment he said, "You're welcome," and placed his hands hesitantly on her back.

They stood like that until the elevator opened. Aya loosened her arms and looked up at him. Her cheeks were slightly flushed and she gave him a shy smile before stepping out of his embrace. Within seconds, she was in the hallway. Aya turned around and called out, "Goodnight!" before hurrying towards her apartment.

L watched her until the elevator doors closed. His heart was still racing. He had planned on going back to the game room, but there was no way he could do that now. L pressed the button for his floor instead. He was feeling many different emotions and he didn't understand any of them. _*I need to think… I need to figure this out,* _he told himself as he left the elevator in a daze. L knew that logic wasn't going to work though and he found that frighteningly exhilarating.

* * *

**A/N: This chapter might be fluff overload, but I just couldn't resist ;) I was listening to instrumental covers of "A Thousand Years" (piano by Adrian Lee and acoustic guitar by Sungha Jung) while writing the scene you just finished reading. They play so beautifully, so please look them up on youtube!  
**

**I don't know Aizawa's son's name or age, so I came up with those details on my own. Sea Paradise is a real place in Yokohama, just outside of Tokyo (I wish I could go!) I got inspiration for the aquarium scene from episode 4 of Kuragehime :D Oh and Aya's birthday is July 25, which gives her personality traits of both Cancer and Leo.**

**I meant to have this chapter ready last week, but I was obsessing over it too much. I'll definitely have at least one more update by the end of the month though. I just noticed today that my fic has received over 3,000 views which I find absolutely mind boggling O_O Hugs to all of my readers- your support means everything to me!**


	15. Emotions

**Chapter 15: Emotions**

When Aya closed the door to her apartment, her adrenaline was still pumping. She paced back and forth and thought, _*Maybe I shouldn't have done that. What if I've ruined everything? But even so, I don't regret it… I wanted to show him how I feel.* _Aya had no doubt that L would soon come to the realization that she liked him. Her stomach did a flip out of nervous anticipation.

She changed into her pajamas, got into bed, and switched off the lamp. Aya was suddenly reminded of how she felt as a child the night before Christmas. It was such an absurd thought that she laughed. _*I guess people never really grow up completely… we always keep our childish excitement no matter how old we are. I might be officially an adult, but nothing has to change because of it.* _She felt comforted knowing that.

Aya closed her eyes and played the scene over. Once again she felt L's slight body against her own and the gentle pressure on her back from his hands. Aya smiled and her heartbeat started to settle into an even rhythm. After about ten minutes, her mind slowed down as well and gave into the physical exhaustion that she was feeling after walking around all day.

* * *

While Aya was sleeping peacefully, L was wide awake and crouched in his chair so that he could analyze what had just taken place. He began first with his own reaction to the incident and easily reached the conclusion that he liked being hugged. There was no mystery to that. _*I am a man after all, _he told himself. _It's perfectly natural for me to feel excited by a female's close proximity.* _No, it wasn't his reaction to the hug that surprised him… what puzzled L was why Aya had hugged him in the first place. He thought back to what she said:

"'I've wanted to do this for a long time so please bear with it,'" L murmured to himself. _*Those words would imply that she likes me. But why does she feel that way? There's nothing particularly appealing about me, not to mention that I was doubtful of her not too long ago. _He touched his lip, deep in thought. _So if Aya likes me, does that mean she's forgiven me for my suspicions?* _L could only assume that to be true.

It wasn't in his own nature to be forgiving. That was a human trait which had always puzzled L. _*If someone commits an offense against you, why should you absolve them of that action?* _This was the mindset he had regarding criminals as well. To him, guilt was absolute. He loathed it when people (or defense lawyers) tried to make excuses for murder or paint a sympathetic portrait of a tragic childhood past. L couldn't help but notice that human beings were always trying to find a reason to explain an act of evil when no reason actually existed. For L, a person either enjoyed inflicting pain on others or they didn't.

Because he couldn't understand the concept of forgiveness, L started to assess his own feelings for Aya instead. He began compiling a checklist. _*I like being around her. I like making her happy. I like it when she smiles at me. I like it when she has physical contact with me. I'm bored when she isn't around. I'm jealous if she's over-friendly with Matsuda. I want to get closer to her. I never want her to hate me.* _

Regardless of the fact that he had no prior experience with love, L was still able to deduce that he was falling for Aya. And if he was honest with himself, the knowledge of this was a bit overwhelming to him. Firstly because L had never thought he was even capable of love, and secondly because he knew that love was a vulnerability. His mind was flashing a danger sign in big letters, but his animal instincts told him to ignore it and continue on. L had never been so at odds with himself before. His head and his heart had always worked in complete unison together- or perhaps it would more accurate to say that his heart had never once interrupted his head. L lowered his hand from his mouth and laughed. _*The fact that I have a heart is kind of hilarious.*_

He was interrupted by a voice saying, "So you're laughing to yourself now. I guess you've finally cracked, huh?"

L turned quickly to see Ryuk's head sticking out of the wall. He was still not quite accustomed to the shinigami surprising him suddenly.

"Why didn't you come back to the game room?"

"I'm busy," L replied, looking away from him.

"You don't look busy to me. All you're doing is crouching in your chair, staring off into space, and laughing to yourself."

"You should know by now that when I'm in this posture, I am engaging in critical thought," he said evenly.

Ryuk let out an amused cackle. "What do you have to be thinking about at this time of night?" He stepped in the room and stood in front of L. "Wait a minute, did something happen with Aya? Perhaps she kissed you and now you're all mixed up over it. I'm right, aren't I?" he asked smugly.

"No."

"Then what happened?"

L was sick of the shinigami's teasing, so he decided to mess with him for once. "That's really none of your business."

"You won't be able to keep it a secret from me forever. I'll find out."

"Go ahead and try," he said in a bored tone. L got up from the chair and stretched his arms above his head. "Have Matsuda and Mogi gone to bed?"

"Yeah."

"Well I'm not tired at all. I think I'll watch some TV," he said, reaching for the remote.

"Perhaps I'll go visit Aya and see what she has to say," Ryuk suggested.

That got L's attention and he whipped his head around to glare at the shinigami. "Don't you dare bother her. You're supposed to be haunting me, remember? Leave her out of this."

"Ah ha! So you really do care about her then."

L was temporarily furious that he had allowed Ryuk to outsmart him. *_But what can I do about it? I hardly ever have a moment alone with Aya… sooner of later, everyone's going to notice.*_

He regained his composure and said, "I never claimed that I didn't care about her." L reclined comfortably on the couch and flipped through the channels.

"Hmm, you're just trying to trick me by acting nonchalant about all of this, but I won't fall for it."

He continued to stare at the screen and Ryuk got bored and left. L ended up watching TV into the early hours of the morning. He must have drifted off at some point because he woke himself up by drooling on his forearm. L sat up and wiped his mouth on the sleeve of his shirt.

"How utterly disgusting," he said as he staggered towards the bathroom. L's nose was all stuffed up and he could hardly breathe. _*It's because I spent so many hours outside.* _L had a bad immune system since he rarely exposed himself to environmental allergies or germ carrying people. He also suspected that his poor diet was partially to blame, though this wasn't something he was willing to change about himself even if it meant feeling healthier in the long run.

L took some allergy medicine before getting in the shower. The hot water helped to open up his sinuses and he felt much better once he got out. When L went into his room to change, he noticed that his bedside clock said 5:48 AM. _*Way too early to go downstairs,* _he thought as he pulled on some pajamas. L burrowed under his covers and held a pillow against his chest. While he waited for the medicine to make him drowsy, L imagined Aya laying there with him; her arms and legs entangled with his own. He had of course fantasized about this scenario before, but things were different now. There was suddenly a real possibility that he would get to experience it for himself sometime in the future. L was never quite sure if he had actually wanted the fantasy to be realized or not, but now he could answer that question with a definite "yes."

* * *

Aya felt a bit shy when she entered the main room just before noon, but L put her at ease when he greeted her warmly and gave her a little smile. _*I'm so glad everything's okay,* _she thought in relief. Aya walked over to him and saw a bowl of cherries in front of his work station.

"Want some?" L asked when he noticed her looking at them.

"Sure."

He picked up a cherry by the stem with two fingers and set it in the palm of her hand.

"Thanks."

"Wait a minute and I'll give you more."

Aya laughed when she saw that he was picking them up, one by one, instead of just grabbing a handful and giving them to her that way. When she had four, she stopped him. "Okay Ryuuzaki, that's enough for now. Thank you," she said, sitting down at the computer beside him.

"You're welcome." L held a stem in front of his face and regarded it. "Did you know that I can tie a knot in a cherry stem using my tongue?" he asked Aya, while still staring at it.

"No I didn't. Can you really?"

"Yeah. I'll try to do it now."

Aya bit into one of her cherries and spun her chair around so that she could watch him. L was still facing forward and she could only observe his side view. After half a minute, L stuck his tongue out and held the knotted stem up for Aya to see.

"That is so cool! I'm going to have to try that for myself."

After setting her cherry pit in a tissue, Aya put the stem in her mouth and tried to tie it in a knot, but she couldn't get the hang of it at all. She tried for over a minute before finally giving up. Aya pulled the slightly bent stem from her mouth and declared, "I can't do it."

* * *

"It takes practice," L told her when he saw her frowning in disappointment.

She ate the rest of her cherries and L managed to tie two more knots.

"Now you're just showing off!" she said and pushed his shoulder in a friendly manner.

He smirked at her. "Yeah maybe I am."

Aya balled her tissue up and rose from the chair. She leaned down and whispered, "Stop being so cute."

L turned his head, eyes wide, to find her face inches from his own. Her lips were reddened from the cherries and he felt a sudden urge to lean forward and kiss her. She smiled, straightened her posture, and walked towards the garbage can near the couches. L touched his lip and thought, _*She thinks I'm cute?*_

"I saw that little display of flirting," Ryuk said slyly.

_ *Oh, is that what we're doing?*_

* * *

Everyone sat down to their separate tasks. Mogi, Matsuda, and Aizawa were watching the news with headphones on; each tuned in to a different channel. L was scanning stories on the internet and Aya was sitting on the couch with a stack of newspapers in front of her. All of them were taking notes, except for Aya, who was using a highlighter to circle the names and details of the victims. Their findings were then turned into Watari who compiled all of their data onto spread sheets for easy access.

They continued to be at a loss regarding any potential Kira suspects.

L sighed and set down the papers. "Raito made it very easy for me to zero in on him. The 3rd Kira has been more careful. I'm starting to think that we're never going to find a pattern here." L got up from his chair and said, "This is a waste of time. I'm going upstairs to get some coffee and snacks."

Aya could see how frustrated he was feeling. "I'll come too," she offered and followed behind him. They were only in the elevator for a few moments.

"The case is not going the way I want it to."

"I know, but there has to be a breakthrough eventually, right?"

"I'd like to think so, but I'm feeling very pessimistic about this. I don't have any motivation right now."

Aya was starting to feel the same way and she couldn't think of an encouraging response. They walked into the breakfast room and headed for the tables in the back. L poured himself a cup of coffee and Aya went over to the hot water maker. She was opening up a tea packet when L stood beside her and said, "You probably regret leaving school to come here now."

She looked at him. "No I don't. I love being here."

He blinked. "You love it even though nothing is happening with the case?"

"That's right. Just being around everyone is fun." Aya put the teabag into the hot water and pushed it down with a spoon. She turned back to L and said, "You know, working with you has been the most exciting thing that has ever happened to me. My life used to be so boring."

His eyes lit up a little at her words. "Mine too," he replied.

"Oh come on! Your life is incredibly exciting. You get to solve crimes and travel all over the world," she insisted.

"I guess to you it might appear that way, but I've lived my life entirely inside my own head. Interacting with other people is what makes life exciting."

Aya felt her throat constrict a bit at his words. _*He must have been so lonely before.*_

"Anyway, it's much better now that you're here," L said, carrying his coffee cup and a box of donuts over to a table.

Aya took a sip of tea and tried to compose herself before sitting across from him. L pushed the box of donuts towards her.

"I can't. I've been eating too many sweets lately."

"There's no such things as eating too many sweets," L said thickly through his donut.

"There is if the sweets are making you gain weight. My pants are getting tight."

"I never gain weight no matter how much I eat." He pointed to his head. "Watari says it's because I burn so many calories by thinking."

"That's probably true, but you must have a very fast metabolism as well. I'm not so lucky. If I eat a lot and don't exercise, I gain weight."

"Then lets play tennis next week," he suggested.

They heard a noise above them and when they looked up, Ryuk's head was staring at them upside down. "I thought I'd catch you two doing something interesting and all you're talking about is your weight and playing tennis," Ryuk replied and flew down to the floor.

"You can understand what we're saying?" Aya asked him. Whenever she was alone with L, they spoke English together.

"Shinigami understand every language."

"How does that work?" L wondered out loud.

"Uh, I am an all powerful god of death," he reminded them. "I'll catch you in the act eventually."

Aya frowned. "What act?"

"A hug or kiss," he said, giving her a sly look. "It's only a matter of time with the way you two have been acting towards each other lately."

Aya felt herself blushing and Ryuk cackled at her reaction.

"Do you think you could stop teasing us now?" L asked.

"I might consider it if you give me another apple."

L got up from his chair and shuffled over to the fridge. "You never get tired of using that line to take advantage of a situation, do you?" he asked, throwing him a shiny red apple.

Ryuk caught it in his clawed hand. "Not at all." The shinigami devoured the fruit in two bites and zoomed off.

L stood in front of her with his hands in his pockets. "I didn't say anything to Ryuk about you hugging me yesterday. He's just very observant of human behavior." He looked down at his bare feet. "And well, I want you know that I wouldn't mind getting hugs from you again," he said, glancing back up at her with a hopeful expression on his face.

Aya smiled at him. "I'm glad to hear it because I plan on giving you many more."

"Good to know. I'll look forward to it then," he said before returning to his seat.

* * *

On Friday evening, L walked Aya into the parking garage. Matsuda got into the car first and Aya asked, "Matsuda-san, will you pop the trunk for me?"

"Huh, why? You can put your bag in the backseat."

She gave him a look and then glanced towards L out of the corner of her eye. Matsuda was a natural airhead, but he even understood what Aya was getting at.

"Right, yeah, I'll just press the button for you then."

Once Aya set her bag inside, she turned to L who was looking rather sulky. She gave him a little smile and stepped towards him. This time, he could read her intention quite clearly and was prepared for it. L took his hands out of his pockets and used them to pull her closer.

"So you asked Matsuda to pop the trunk in order to hug me outside of his view," he stated.

"Mmm-hmm."

His hand brushed against her hair. "That's quite sneaky of you."

She laughed quietly and he felt the vibration of it against his chest.

"I don't care if you hug me in front of him or anyone else though," L told her.

"Not even Ryuk?"

"No because he's already here."

Aya loosened her arms around his neck and pulled away slightly so that she could turn her head. Sure enough, Ryuk was standing in front of the door leading to headquarters and leering at them. When she faced L again, his expression wasn't one of annoyance, but of humor. His arms had slipped down to her waist.

"Why does he have to be so creepy? You know, sometimes I don't think there's anything real about this… shinigami, Death Note's, Kira, none of it." She placed her hands on his upper back and leaned into him. Aya could feel his heart beating through their thin layer of clothing. "The only thing that's real to me is you."

L was quiet for a few seconds and Aya was worried that she had said too much.

"Funny you should say that because those are my exact sentiments."

Aya felt such a powerful surge of love and happiness that she had to break contact first. L blinked and looked slightly stunned at their physical separation. She touched his face gently and said, "I'll see you Monday, Ryuuzaki." Then she shut the trunk and got into the car.

* * *

L stood beside the car, watching as she strapped herself in. Aya turned to him and waved goodbye. He raised his hand and thought, _*Why does she keeping leaving so abruptly after hugging me? Can't she let go more slowly so it's less of a shock?* _He touched the spot on his face where her fingers had been.

"That was a cozy little scene," Ryuk said from somewhere behind him.

"Which you interrupted."

"Really? Because from where I was standing, it looked like you interrupted it yourself when you pointed out my presence to Aya."

"But I wouldn't have pointed it out had you not been there," L shot back.

Ryuk let out a bark of laughter. "That's true. Well I get bored. There's nothing else for me to do but watch the two of you. It's like reality TV for me."

* * *

As the car pulled out onto the street, Aya wiped the tears from her eyes.

Matsuda noticed the gesture and exclaimed, "Ehhhh, why are you crying, Aya-chan? Did Ryuuzaki say something insensitive?"

She shook her head. "No, he was nice to me."

"Then what's wrong?"

"I'm just feeling completely overwhelmed right now. I can't help it."

"God, Aya, you have it really bad, don't you?"

"Yes," she said quietly. "I'm afraid I do."

"I hope a girl loves me so much that she'll cry over me like that. Of course I mean out of happiness and not pain," he added. "I would never want to break anyone's heart."

Aya smiled in his direction. "Matsuda, you're so amazingly sweet that I know a girl will treasure you someday." She searched in her purse for a pack of tissues and then took off her glasses in order to wipe her face properly.

The car stopped at a red light and Aya could feel Matsuda staring at her.

"Aya-chan, will you look at me for a second?"

She reached for her glasses and Matsuda said, "No, don't put them on yet."

Aya glanced warily at his blurry face, and while she couldn't read his expression, she knew what he was going to say.

"You look like your sister. You have the same profile and wide eyes. I never noticed because of your glasses though."

Aya had heard many comments like this before. When classmates found out that her sister was a model, they would try and get her to take off her glasses, saying things like: "you would be so pretty without them" or "you could be cute like your sister if you tried." Aya could still remember the exact words of Hideki Moriyama, her boyfriend of exactly one week, who she overheard while walking out of school. He said to his friends: "I took Takeda-san's glasses off and it was almost like I was kissing Hana. She's not as beautiful, but it's the next best thing, right?" Aya dumped him the following day and never went out with a classmate again.

She looked away from Matsuda and put her glasses back on. "Well I'm not Hana. Not even close," she said with a bitter edge to her voice.

"I know that. I'm sorry, Aya-chan. I didn't mean to offend you," he said in a concerned tone.

"You didn't. I just remembered a bad memory, that's all."

"Well don't think about that memory. Think about Ryuuzaki instead!"

That made her laugh. "Okay."

* * *

Aya took Matsuda's advice and thought about L. As a result, the happiness she was feeling manifested itself outwardly in her behavior. She chatted with her mother about her birthday while they prepared dinner together. They were talking and laughing so loudly that neither of them heard Mr. Takeda open the front door. He walked into the kitchen with a look of exhaustion on his face.

Aya and her mother came over to greet him but he could barely manage a smile.

"Well I'm glad that the two of you have energy." He turned to his wife and asked, "Do I have time to take a shower before dinner?"

Mrs. Takeda glanced over at the timer on the oven and said, "Yes, it won't be ready for at least thirty minutes."

They heard him climbing the stairs and Aya asked in a lowered voice, "What's wrong with him?"

"He's been preparing for a conference that starts on Monday afternoon. He'll be gone the whole week in Hong Kong."

"Poor daddy," she murmured.

His mood had not improved even with a shower. As soon as he saw Hana's empty seat, he asked where she was.

"On a date," Mrs. Takeda told him.

"That figures," he scoffed. "I don't know why I bothered asking."

Aya sensed danger, so she quickly changed the subject. "Daddy, I went to Sea Paradise for my birthday. It was so much fun! I really felt like a kid again."

Mr. Takeda rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and started serving himself. "You shouldn't be feeling like a kid, you should be feeling and acting like an adult. Instead of going to amusement parks and playing at being a detective, you should be studying," he said sternly.

"Honey, please don't," Mrs. Takeda said in an attempt to rectify the situation, but it was too late.

"I'm not playing at being detective," Aya said defensively. "I do work every day,"

He raised his head up and looked her in the eyes. "And have you made any progress on the case? Do you have any suspects yet?"

"No, but we're all trying to find some kind of pattern. It isn't easy to narrow down suspects out of the millions of people in Tokyo."

He put the serving spoon down and said, "I agreed to let you work there because you led me to believe that you were at a crucial point. I was under the impression that this case would soon be wrapped up."

"We were at a crucial point and we still are. Perhaps I was too optimistic before. I really believed then that we would be much closer, but I've learned that patience and attention to detail are the most important things while working a criminal investigation."

"Aya, you're not a member of the Japanese Police," he said impatiently. "You're a student who is playing around because of some silly childhood obsession of yours."

Mrs. Takeda put a hand on her husband's arm. "Honey, stop this, you're upsetting Aya."

"Well she's upsetting me!" he exclaimed before fixing his gaze on Aya once more. "I know what this is really about. You've been acting different lately and it's not hard for anyone in this house to see that you're in love."

Aya's stomach knotted up. "Is it so wrong for me to feel that way?"

"Yes, because it's interfering with your education. It took you two tries before you passed the entrance exam for Touou University and yet all that hard work seems to mean nothing to you at the moment. This case could drag on for a year!" His voice was getting steadily louder now. "Are you going to stay out of school that long? Are you going to ruin your future because you're in love? I would expect something like this from your sister, Aya, but not from you!"

She clenched her hands together until she felt her fingernails digging into her palms. "Why do you have to be so hard on me, daddy? Why do you have to be so hard on Hana? We're doing our best, but you don't understand how difficult it is to live up to your expectations." She took a deep breath and tried to steady her voice. "Do you want to know why Touou means nothing to me? Because it's your dream, not mine. I'm so tired of studying! I'm actually glad that I got involved with this case because it's allowed me to take a break from school for the first time in my life. If you want to know the truth, I'm completely burned out! I'm sorry daddy, but I can't be perfect anymore. I can't always please you, because if I do, I'll end up miserable!"

Aya left the table and hurried upstairs. Her whole body was shaking out of anger, resentment, and frustration as she closed the door to her room. She collapsed onto her bed and sobbed uncontrollably. Aya had experienced so many emotions in such a short amount of time that it felt like she was drowning in them. She heard her father's booming voice yell something downstairs. Most of it was muffled, but she caught the word 'tyrant' and thought, _*that's right, you are a tyrant! I hope mum called you one because it's true!*_

Once her crying had stopped, Aya was momentarily proud of herself for standing up to her father. At least until a sick feeling came over her once she realized that there would be consequences for her honesty. _*What is he going to do now? Would he throw me out of the house? _she wondered, biting her lip nervously. _I guess it doesn't really matter since I'm financially independent… but even so, I don't want that to happen.*_

* * *

Her mother came in with a tray of food less than an hour later.

"Sweetheart, I'm so sorry that happened to you. Your father was angry over work and he took it out on you instead. I scolded him for it and he knows he was wrong."

Aya blinked her sore eyes. "Then why isn't he the one apologizing to me?"

"He will. Just give him some time to calm down," she replied, sitting on the edge of Aya's bed.

"He's not going to disown me, is he?"

Her mother laughed. "Of course not! As if I'd let him do something so ridiculous! No, he's just having a hard time coming to terms with the fact that you can now make your own choices."

Aya frowned. "I don't understand him. He kept going on about how I'm an adult, yet he still treats me like a little girl. It's contradictory."

"Of course it is. That's how parents are. No matter how old you become, you'll always be our child, Aya."

"But you don't act like him!" she insisted.

Her mother smiled sadly. "I think he's afraid of losing the number one place in your heart. Fathers are usually like that when their daughters fall in love."

Aya bit her bottom lip and looked down at her hands. She didn't know how to respond to that comment.

Mrs. Takeda smoothed Aya's hair back from her face and tucked an errant strand behind her ear. "I know just what you need… a long soak in the bath and 'Pride & Prejudice' to keep you company." Her mother went over to the bookshelf and pulled out the Jane Austen novel. "There you are," she said, setting it down on Aya's bedside table. "Lizzie Bennet and Mr. Darcy will be waiting for you to finish your dinner."

That drew out a laugh from Aya. "Thanks, mum. I love you."

She leaned down to kiss her forehead. "I love you too, sweetie."

Once her mother left, Aya walked over to get the tray of food on her dresser. She didn't leave the book until after dinner though. Instead, Aya held the paperback with her left hand and ate with her right.

Later on, while she was in the bath, Aya suddenly wondered how L would look in Regency costume. Thinking of him wearing a tall hat, tight pants, and riding boots made her break into a fit of giggles. She entertained herself for well over five minutes as she imagined him saying some of Mr. Darcy's more famous lines.

By the time she was dressed and underneath her covers, Aya was feeling more like herself again. _*Mum is right… there's nothing like a bath and 'Pride & Prejudice' to cheer a girl up.*_

* * *

**A/N: Wow, that was an intense chapter to write! I was even getting emotional lol. So what do you think of L in this chapter? ;) And are there any Pride & Prejudice fans out there? Please write a review and let me know :D**


	16. Happiness

**Chapter 16: Happiness**

Aya and her father managed to avoid each other during breakfast the following morning, but the atmosphere in the house was incredibly oppressive. Aya didn't want to stick around, so she went upstairs. _*Maybe I'll go to the park today,* _she thought as she pulled a T-shirt over her head. A knock sounded on her door.

"Hold on. I'm getting dressed." The door opened anyway and Hana walked into her room. "You know, I did say to wait. I'm still in my underwear."

"What's the big deal? It's just me," Hana replied, sitting down on the bed. "So I was thinking we should go out shopping."

"I just went shopping last weekend," Aya said as she searched in the closet for her favorite pair of jeans. _*They're not here… I must have left them in my laundry basket at headquarters…*_

"Yeah, so?"

"I don't need more clothes right now." She spotted a pair of khaki capris and took them off the hanger.

Hana let out an exasperated sigh. "Don't say such blasphemous things to me. Look, I know you're not in a great mood because of what happened with daddy last night, but that's all the more reason to go. Shopping is a great form of therapy."

Aya glanced over at her sister. "How do you know what happened? You weren't even home at the time."

"Mum told me about it. She actually suggested that we go somewhere today." Hana stood up and took the capris out of her hands.

"What are you doing?" she asked with a scowl.

"I won't allow you to wear such unflattering pants out in public."

"I don't want to go shopping though!" she exclaimed in annoyance. "I was planning on walking to the park."

"Aya, that is hardly relaxing. There will be nothing but screaming brats at the park. If you want exercise and fresh air, we can go to that cute little street in Shibuya with the boutiques and outdoor cafés. That will be a much better time. I'll even let you drag me into a bookstore."

Her eyes lit up. "I have a gift certificate for Kinokuniya, so lets go there."

Hana smiled at her. "I knew that would convince you." She pushed Aya aside and began examining the contents of her closet. "Now lets see what we can dress you in."

* * *

A few hours later, they were eating their lunch outside underneath an umbrella. Aya was taking a sip of her iced coffee when Hana asked, "So I take it things are going well with Ryuuzaki?"

Aya took the straw out of her mouth and gave her a little smile. "Yes."

Hana leaned forward. "How much progress have you made?" she asked in a lowered tone.

"I've hugged him twice now."

"That's all?" She leaned back in her chair. "Aya, you're such an innocent. I don't know whether that's cute or worrying at your age."

"Hey! I'll have you know that a hug is a really big deal for Ryuuzaki. A few months ago, he was someone who would flinch at any kind of physical contact." Aya continued to sip her iced coffee.

"Oh god, just what kind of guy are you interested in? He sounds completely neurotic!"

Aya shrugged. "So what if he is. It doesn't bother me. In fact, I like him because of his quirks."

"Are you telling me that if Ryuuzaki was just an average man, you wouldn't like him?"

"Well probably not because then he wouldn't be himself." Aya looked down at her plate and pushed a few salad leaves around. "Then he wouldn't be the person I fell in love with."

Hana raised her eyebrows. "Wow, so even someone like you can say romantic things from time to time."

Aya threw her straw wrapper at her sister, who laughed.

"I bet he's completely fashion challenged too, isn't he?" Hana continued playfully.

"Umm, well yes, but he did buy a cool pair of aviator sunglasses recently." Aya dug in her purse for her phone and pulled up her photo album. As soon as she found the picture, she held it out for Hana to see.

"Those aren't bad actually. He's got some shaggy hair, huh? Nice lips though."

"Yeah, I told you he had nice lips, didn't I?"

"It's such a waste if you don't kiss them," she said with a smirk.

Aya laughed. "I agree, but I think I'm going to wait for him to kiss me. I've already made the first move with the hug. I can't do everything." Aya pointed to her phone. "Look at the main screen. We posed for a picture together."

After a moment Hana said, "Hmm, so this is the face of the most famous detective in the world... he looks really young without the sunglasses on."

Aya waited for her to say more, but she didn't. Hana was studying the picture intently. "Well, what do you think then?" she asked hesitantly.

"I don't know. The expression on his face puzzles me. I'm trying to figure out if his smile is shy or not. It could almost be a sly smirk, but the look in his eyes isn't cunning at all. Is he surprised or something?"

"No, he just has really big eyes that make him look that way."

"His facial features are more European than Japanese," Hana observed.

"Yeah I don't think he has much Japanese in him at all. His body structure and dark eye color are really the only physical traits he has."

"I can't tell anything about his body from this face shot."

"He's thin. I probably weigh more than he does actually," Aya said in an amused tone. "Ryuuzaki's not much taller than me either, but maybe that's just because of his bad posture."

Hana looked at the screen again. "You look really happy in this picture. Now that I've seen him for myself, I think I get why you like him so much. There's something kind of sweet and delicate about Ryuuzaki appearance wise." She pushed the phone across the table. "But Aya, I highly doubt that he's as innocent as he looks. I'm sure he's seen a lot of terrible things because of his job."

"I know," she said, looking down at his face. "I really can't imagine the darkness that he's lived in."

Hana took a sip of her drink and then said, "Well I think you're capable of brightening his world up a bit."

She met her sister's eyes. "Does that mean you approve of Ryuuzaki then?"

"Oh please, don't make me sound like daddy," Hana replied, rolling her eyes. "Obviously he's not my type, but he suits you. He'd look a lot better with a haircut though."

"No way," Aya said, shaking her head. "I like his hair just the way it is."

Hana sighed. "You and your obsession with long hair. A trim wouldn't hurt him or you for that matter. I could give both of you makeovers at the same time. Now that would be fun!"

"Yeah maybe for you, but not for us," Aya replied with a smile.

They finished their lunch before heading to Kinokuniya Books.**  
**

* * *

Mr. Takeda left on Sunday morning while his daughters were still sleeping. Aya was able to eat breakfast and leisurely read the paper without worrying about any awkward tension.

Her mother and Hana left to run some errands. Aya took advantage of the silence and went upstairs to get 'The Book of Heroes' by Miyuki Miyabe that she had purchased the day before. She lounged on the couch and read for hours. Ciel curled up beside her in the mid-afternoon, which instantly made Aya feel tired. She took off her glasses and then put her arm around the cat, who was purring contentedly. She closed her eyes and fell into a restful sleep where she dreamed of magical, talking books.

Aya woke up only when the front door opened and she heard the voices of her mother and sister. Ciel jumped down off the couch and she stretched out her cramped arm.

"Were you sleeping the whole time?" Hana's voice asked from the living room entrance.

Aya rubbed her eyes and reached for her glasses on the coffee table. "No. I was reading for a while."

"You're so lazy! Look at you, still in your pajamas."

"Leave me alone. This is the only time I get to be like this."

Hana laughed. "You mean you don't walk around headquarters looking like a total bum?"

Aya sat up and tried to smooth her hair which had come out of its braid. "Of course not. That would hardly be professional."

She wandered into the kitchen and saw her mother putting away the groceries. Aya said hello and then filled the tea kettle with some water from the tap. She yawned and thought, _*I need some caffeine to wake up.*_ Her phone was still sitting on the table and she went over to check it. L would sometimes text her over the weekend. To her surprise, the only message was from her father. He wrote: **I'm sorry for our argument on Friday. I'll call you this evening so we can talk about it.** Aya sighed. _*That's just like him to apologize over the phone instead of in person.* _Her father was stubborn and prideful, but he was still a good person.

* * *

It was after 8 PM when he called. After they exchanged small talk where he told her how his flight was and about the rest of his day, he proceeded with his apology.

"I didn't mean to snap at you the other night. I've had a lot on my mind lately, but I know that's hardly an excuse for what I said. I'm just worried about you, Aya. I know we've never really talked about your future path before, but you're an intelligent girl and I'm sure you could have success in many different fields of study. But if you drop out of school then-"

Aya interrupted him and said, "Daddy, I'm not going to drop out. This is only temporary."

"Are you planning on going back next term?"

"No, but I will after New Year's. Even if the case isn't solved by then, I'll leave the investigation and go back."

"Good. I'm glad to hear it." He paused and Aya heard him take a deep breath. "I thought a lot about what you said and I realize now how much pressure I've put on you. For that, I apologize. It wasn't fair of me."

"Thank you, daddy. I appreciate it."

He cleared his throat. "Well I guess that's all then. I'll hang up with you and call your mother now."

"Okay. Good luck at your conference this week."

"Thanks. I'll do my best."

They ended their call and Aya leaned back on her pillows. She wasn't sure how productive that short conversation had been._ *His words felt kind of stilted to me. _Aya knew that things had changed between them forever._ I can never go back to being that little girl who wanted so much to make him happy. I guess this is what it means to grow up…*_

* * *

L received a text message from Aya on Monday morning saying that she would be at headquarters shortly. He responded: **I'll be waiting for you outside your apartment door. **He had already bribed Ryuk with two extra apples to leave them alone. While he waited, L listened to BBC World News on his phone and leaned against the wall, eyes trained on the elevator doors. When they finally opened fifteen minutes later, L removed his earbuds and started to wind the cord up.

She gave him a big smile and walked towards him. "Good morning."

"Morning, Aya," he said, returning her smile. He shoved his phone in his back pocket.

"Where's Ryuk?"

"I got rid of him for a bit."

Aya laughed and swiped her key card. L pulled the door open for her.

"Thank you," she said as she walked into her apartment. "So how was your weekend?"

"Incredibly boring," he replied, taking the bag from her shoulder and setting it down on the floor.

Aya turned around and looked at L expectantly. _*Why isn't she hugging me yet?* _he wondered as he took a step towards her. She gave him a little smile, but still did nothing. _*Oh I see, she wants me to initiate it.* _As soon as L placed his hands on her waist, Aya clasped her arms around his neck.

"I missed you," she said quietly. "Did you miss me?"

"Mmm-hmm," L murmured. His hands moved up her back and he rested his chin on her shoulder. "Do you think we could hug like this every day?"

"Of course we can." The sound of her voice changed and L knew that she must be smiling. "You're becoming quite the cuddle bug, aren't you?"

"Only when it comes to you."

"Hmm, is that so? That's too bad because I was quite looking forward to seeing you give Matsuda a hug," she joked.

"Please don't give me such a disgusting image when I'm trying to enjoy myself," L said, trying to suppress a shudder.

Aya laughed and started to pull away from him, but L didn't want the hug to end yet. "Just a few seconds longer."

She rubbed his upper back and said, "Okay. You can let go whenever you're ready."

"Did you have a nice weekend?" he asked when he finally released her.

The smile fell away from her face. "No."

"What happened?"

Aya bit her lip looked away from him. "I had an argument with my dad," she replied and walked towards the couch.

"About the case?"

"Yes and about me going back to school."

"I'm sorry that the investigation is causing problems for you at home," he said as he sat down beside her. "Maybe it's better that you go back when the new semester starts."

Aya shook her head. "No, I still have to make up the work I missed. I've decided to return after New Year."

"And what does your dad think about that?"

She looked down at her hands. "He seems fine with it now. I think he was mostly worried that I would drop out." She unnecessarily readjusted her glasses and then got out her chap stick. After she was done applying it, Aya said, "You know I failed the entrance exam for Touou when I was a senior. I had a backup university, but my dad was so upset that I decided to try again. I was in cram school for a year after I graduated." She glanced up at L and gave him an ironic smile. "It's kind of funny to me that you got a perfect score with absolutely no preparation, while I barely made it in even after two years of constant study."

"Are you holding a grudge against me?" he asked with a smirk.

She shook her head, still smiling. "No, but I am a bit jealous of your intelligence."

"There's really no need to be. It's boring when everything is easy. Didn't it give you a good feeling to pass the exam after working so hard?"

"Not exactly a good one. It was more of a relieved feeling," she replied, turning serious again. "Getting into Touou was never something that I wanted to begin with. I would have preferred to go to a smaller liberal arts college. Of course if I had done that, I wouldn't have met you at all so I guess I should be grateful for my father's dream."

"Wow, you're right." L looked up at the ceiling. "Thank you very much Mr. Takeda for applying educational pressure to your daughter," he said in a voice that was even more monotone than usual.

Aya laughed and nudged his shoulder playfully with her own. "Your dry sense of humor really cheers me up you know." She got up from the couch and said, "We better go downstairs."

L had forgotten that the task force was waiting for them. "Oh… right. I guess we should."

"Matsuda mentioned that Yagami-san is coming back tomorrow. I hope he isn't pushing himself too soon," she commented as she picked up her key card from the small table. "He seemed in better spirits at my birthday party, but do you think he's really alright?" Aya asked, turning to him as she held the apartment door open.

"I'm not sure. I'll have to observe him before I can make that call," he replied, shoving his hands in his pockets once they were in the hallway. "Yagami-san is somewhat of an enigma. His moral justice is a strength in his profession, but a weakness in his personal life. Men like him expect a lot from their loved ones and it makes them more vulnerable to betrayal. If his wife and daughter follow the same moral code as he does, then I'm sure they will suffer just as much."

She pushed the elevator call button. "So he hasn't told them about Raito yet?"

"No. They're under the impression that he's still working with me on the case."

"I think Yagami-san should just tell them. The longer he waits, the more pain and resentment it will cause when they finally learn that Raito is Kira."

The elevator doors opened and they walked in. L leaned against the wall while Aya pressed 'B' for basement level. She took a few steps back and stood beside him.

"If you were Raito's sister, would you really want to know something so horrible about the brother you adored?"

Aya met his eyes. "Absolutely. Learning the truth is the most important thing. As a detective, don't you feel the same way?"

"Yes, from a professional standpoint I do, but from a human perspective I'm starting to think that it would be better not to know such things about a loved one. There's some accuracy to the saying 'ignorance is bliss.' Or maybe it's just that ignorance doesn't cause the same kind of pain that knowledge does."

"You have a point, but I still wouldn't want to be kept in the dark."

"Even if knowing the truth made you miserable?" he asked.

"Yes, even then. I think being deceived is much worse."

His old self would have agreed with her. _*But I'm not the same person that I used to be… because now I've formed an attachment that makes me happy. If learning some terrible truth meant ending that happiness, then I don't think I'd want to know about it. As pathetic and cowardly as it is to admit it, that's how I feel.*_

Aya's voice interrupted his musings. "Ryuuzaki, you're spacing out. The doors are going to close."

L looked up and saw that the elevator had opened and she was waiting for him.

"What were you thinking about so intently?" she asked as he walked into the room with her.

"Oh just contemplating human weaknesses," he replied. "People really are fragile and stupid, aren't they?"

Aya laughed. "Yeah, we are, but I hope you're including yourself in that statement and not looking down on us commoners."

"No, I'm not looking down on anyone," L said, meeting her eyes, "because I'm exactly the same."

* * *

Having Chief Yagami back the following day gave the task force a sense of order which had been absent without him. The first thing he did was look over the spreadsheets with the names and details of the recently deceased criminals. Then he examined the people who would have reason to hate the victims and want to get revenge on them.

Chief Yagami set the papers down and said, "It's good that all of you have been documenting the deaths properly, but this is nothing but a record of the 3rd Kira's vigilante justice. I see by this other list that you're trying to establish a personal link, but I somehow doubt that any of these people are the 3rd Kira."

"I doubt it too," Ryuuzaki added as he stacked pieces of chocolate on a plate. "Rem would have given the Death Note to someone intelligent and powerful. At one point I considered tracking the IP addresses of those who frequently post on Kira message boards, but I decided that it would ultimately be a waste of time. Raito would never have instructed Rem to give the notebook to a supporter considering that his fangirl messed things up for him."

"If you think the 3rd Kira is someone intelligent and powerful, we should be focusing on government workers," Chief Yagami pointed out. "Although high level politicians or military leaders might be too obvious. I think it more likely that the 3rd Kira is someone at a lower level who wouldn't easily attract attention."

L stopped stacking his chocolates and looked at the older man. "That's interesting. If they were low level, then they might use the Death Note in order to advance their career somehow. We've been looking at civilian deaths though and nothing is standing out… but I like where this is going. It would be far better for us if the 3rd Kira was someone ambitious and selfish as opposed to a misguided, moral idealist. The former are more apt to make mistakes."

"So should we start on a list of government workers in the Tokyo area?" Mogi asked L.

"Yes, that would be helpful. Mogi-san, Aizawa-san, and Yagami-san, please pull up the government databases."

"What should I do, Ryuuzaki?" Matsuda asked.

"You could get me another cup of coffee. Four sugars and two creamers please."

He frowned. "Are you serious?"

"I'm always serious," L replied and held out his empty cup for him. "When you get back, you can go ahead and watch the news. We still need to keep a record of the criminals who are dying."

Ryuk chuckled as Matsuda took the cup and muttered under his breath while heading for the elevator. L disassembled his mini chocolate tower and set them in a circular pattern on the plate.

Aya rolled her chair over and examined the chocolates. "Can I have that square one? I think it's probably caramel."

"Yeah, go ahead," he replied.

"Thank you very much," she said and reached over. "I'll get started on reading the newspapers now."

"Okay." L selected a piece of dark chocolate shaped like an oval. When he took a bite, there was some kind of pink marshmallow like filling inside. He had eaten five more chocolates before Matsuda returned.

"Now that Matsuda-san is back, I want to make an announcement," L called out. "Lets get this case solved by Christmas. I think we'll be more driven if we give ourselves a deadline."

"Sounds good to me," Aizawa commented.

"Lets do our best everyone!" Matsuda said enthusiastically.

* * *

During their dinner break, everyone was discussing what they wanted to do after closing the case.

"I'm going to take a vacation with my family," Aizawa said. "I feel like I hardly see my kids anymore. They're always asleep when I get home so it would be nice to spend some time with them."

"A vacation sounds great. Maybe to Hawaii," Matsuda broke in. "I've never been there."

"I have," Mogi commented. "It was nice, but I don't think I'd go back."

"Where would you go Mogi-san?" Aya asked curiously.

"To Europe probably. I like architecture and history."

"Me too," she agreed. "I'd love to go to Italy."

"What about you, Ryuuzaki?" Matsuda asked.

"I've already been everywhere," he replied.

"Then what's your favorite place?"

L started winding spaghetti on his fork. "That's hard to say. I like a lot of countries."

"So if you're not going to travel anywhere, then what will you do once the case is solved?" Aya asked him.

"Nothing at all. I'll just stay here and relax," L replied, meeting her eyes across the table. "Tokyo isn't such a bad place to be."

Chief Yagami frowned. "Won't you be taking on another case though?"

"No, not right away. I usually give myself a three month break in-between jobs, but I'll probably take about six months off this time." L looked at him thoughtfully. "Closing out the Kira case won't be such a happy occasion for you, Yagami-san. Not like it is for the rest of us."

"No, but the burden will be lifted at least. I am looking forward to the day when the world will no longer be at the Death Note's mercy."

Quite a few people looked at Ryuk. "What?" the shinigami asked.

"This whole thing is your fault. Do you see what your boredom has caused?" Chief Yagami asked sternly.

Ryuk let out an ill-timed laugh. "Oh no, your words won't have any effect on me, Soichiro Yagami. Guilt and regret are human emotions."

Chief Yagami opened his mouth to say something else, but then shook his head. "You're right. There's no point in trying to reason with a shinigami, but I hope that you're aware of the chaos you've unleashed."

"Of course, but I wouldn't do it any differently."

Aizawa looked like he was ready to throw something. "Okay everyone, lets just calm down," L said in an attempt to get control over the situation. "Anger isn't good for the digestion."

His comment received a few nervous laughs, but Aizawa and Chief Yagami were not amused. Both of them ended up leaving a short time later.

* * *

The next few days were spent hard at work. Chief Yagami did not take kindly to L's suggestion on Thursday that they go and play tennis for a few hours.

"Please be serious, Ryuuzaki! You can play on the weekend."

L felt like a scolded child as he sat down next to Aya on the couch. "I guess we can't have fun anymore now that Yagami-san is back," he said with a pout.

Aya touched his shoulder. "How about we go on Sunday? I can meet you at the tennis court we went to before."

"Are you sure? I thought you were supposed to spend weekends with your family."

"I don't have to be with them every single moment. Plus my dad won't even be home. His conference lasts until Monday."

"Alright. Then it will just be me, you, and Ryuk." He leaned in and whispered, "You have no idea how happy I'll be when I can get rid of that shinigami."

Aya turned her head and smiled at him. "Yeah it'll definitely be nice not to worry about him interrupting us all of the time."

"Oy, you two stop flirting and get back to work!" Aizawa called out.

L glared at him, but Aizawa had already turned back around to face his computer. "Everyone has turned into a bunch of slave drivers around here," he said resentfully.

Aya tried to suppress a laugh. "Well you did tell them that Christmas is our deadline."

"Yeah and that's five bloody months away," he grumbled. "I guess I'm not the boss around here anymore."

"But don't you think this is good for you? Learning to play with others and all that?"

L reached over and pulled on her braid. "There you go again, little miss optimist."

Aya grinned. "Sorry, sorry. Let me try this again." She cleared her throat and put on a serious expression. "Poor, Ryuuzaki. Are the other kids being mean to you?" she asked in a sympathetic tone. "You deserve much better."

L gave her a little smile. "That's more like it." He got up from the couch. "Oh, I was planning on having a mini-marathon of 'The Mentalist' tonight. Want to join me?"

"Yeah, absolutely."

* * *

"So what season are you on now?" Aya asked as she walked into his apartment.

"Just about to finish the third one."

"Then you're almost caught up. The fifth season will be premiering this Autumn in the US."

He gave her a sly look. "I take it you download illegally?"

"Um, yes, I know it's bad and everything, but I wouldn't be able to watch it otherwise."

"Hey, you don't have to defend your actions to me. I'm as guilty as you are. Aizawa-san and Yagami-san are probably the only ones who are against that kind of thing." L went over to his laptop to turn it on. "I'll hook it up to the big screen. It will take a few minutes though."

"No problem. I have to use the bathroom anyway."

"I left a mess in there."

"It can't be as bad as mine," she said dismissively and headed down the hallway.

Aya looked into L's bedroom as she passed by. The décor was the same as her own: modern furniture and a plain white comforter. _*He doesn't make his bed either, but there's no clothes all over the place like in my room,* _she thought. When Aya turned on the bathroom light, she found his pajamas on the floor next to the already overflowing wicker hamper.

She laughed quietly as she closed the door behind her. _*I always used to assume that Watari would keep things clean for him… guess not though.* _Aya peeked behind his shower curtain and saw shampoo in a red bottle, a can of shaving cream, a razor, and a bar of soap. A mirror was secured to the tiles with a suction cup. _*Ryuuzaki has such a baby face that I didn't even know he had to shave. I've never seen him with any stubble so I guess he must have a very light beard.* _

The next thing she did was open his mirrored cabinet. Aya found an assortment of over the counter medicine like allergy pills, pain pills, sleeping pills, tablets for upset stomach, cold/flu medicine, and even a bottle of gummy vitamins. _*Does he take these now? I remember suggesting it to him months ago... I guess he listened to me,*_ she thought with an amused smile.

The counter top had all the usual things: a cup containing a toothbrush and toothpaste, floss, hand soap, unscented lotion, and some kind of hair product that smelled like oranges. Aya opened up his drawer and found a hairbrush, comb, and a stretchy headband which she picked up. _*How cute! He must wear this while he's washing his face.* _She put it back and then peeked in the cabinet underneath his sink, which contained only a trashcan and some cleaning supplies._ *Men don't need as much stuff as women. They're quite lucky, aren't they?*_

When she returned to the living room, L was sitting down on the couch. She could see his desktop on the television screen.

"I was about to send for a search party," he said with a smirk as she sat beside him.

"Ryuuzaki, it's not polite to comment on the amount of time a woman spends in the bathroom."

"Oh is that so? My apologies then."

"I wasn't doing what I think you're implying. If you must know, it took me so long because I was snooping around in there. By the way, you should really do your laundry soon."

"Yeah I probably should, but it's such a hassle. Watari won't do my laundry anymore. He's been spouting some nonsense about how I need to become more responsible and independent."

"The nerve of him!" Aya exclaimed in mock outrage.

L smiled at her. "Alright, I get it. I'm acting like a spoiled child."

"Yeah, but that's okay. I kinda like that side of you."

Ryuk decided to appear just then which annoyed both of them. L got the remote ready and said, "Hey, will you get the lights for us?"

The shinigami went over to the switch and soon the apartment was immersed in darkness. Aya felt like she could relax a bit more now that there wasn't a spotlight shining down on them.

Even Ryuk was laughing at some of Patrick Jane's tactics. "I wonder how Ryuuzaki would stack up against him," he commented when the first episode ended.

"That's a good question," Aya said, looking at L's profile

"I would definitely outsmart him. He's not even a detective, he's just a consultant."

"Yeah but he closes out cases very quickly. How long does it usually take you?" Ryuk asked.

"Our jobs are completely different. He works in the field and interacts with suspects, while I work behind the scenes. So of course he would be faster than me. Plus I only take on extremely difficult cases."

"Well from what I've seen, Patrick knows more about people than you do and he's good at manipulating them," Ryuk continued. "He's much more charismatic too. Personally, I think Patrick Jane is superior to the detective L."

"You're forgetting something important though. Patrick Jane is a fictional character and I am not."

Ryuk let out a loud laugh. "You've got me there. Well I think I'll head to my own room now."

"Thank you, please do." When he was gone, L turned to Aya and asked, "Do you think he's right? Is Patrick Jane really superior to me?"

"He's only trying to wind you up."

"But he has a point. I don't have any people skills at all. I wouldn't be able to do what Patrick does."

"Ryuuzaki, it's adorable that you're taking this so seriously, but there's no need for you to be worried. I think your deduction abilities are better."

"Really?"

"Yes, really. And if it came down to who I would rather have solve a case for me, I would definitely choose you."

He seemed pleased with her answer. "Do you want something to drink before I start another episode?"

"Sure, some water would be fine."

* * *

Halfway through the second episode, Aya covered up with a fleece blanket.

"Will you share that with me?" L asked, though he wasn't very cold. It was more of an excuse to get closer to her.

"Sure," she said and moved towards him so that she could spread the blanket across both of their laps.

Her shoulder was touching his and L put his arm around her instinctively. When she looked over, he asked, "Is this okay?"

"Yeah, it's nice," she replied and leaned against him.

L was having a hard time concentrating on the TV. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye and wondered if she was affected by their close proximity. He couldn't tell because her eyes were fixed on the screen. It took him a few minutes before he was able to properly relax.

During the third episode, Aya's head slumped against his shoulder. When he looked down, he saw that her eyes were closed. Her chest was rising and falling in a steady, calming rhythm. He used his free hand to gently take off her glasses. Aya made a noise and L was afraid that she would wake up, but all she did was shift her body slightly. He set her glasses down on the table beside him.

L had planned on waking her up when the episode was over, but she snuggled closer and put her arm around him in a kind of half hug. It was so warm and comforting that he ended up watching just one more.

* * *

**A/N: Ahhh, so sorry about the late update *bows head* Everything just kept getting in the way to prevent me from writing. This chapter went through quite a few drafts as well and ended up being much longer than I intended (this seems to happen a lot o.o)**

**A big thank you to my regular reviewers jouheki-chan, hardeehar, and ********Sarafinja** for always being sweet and encouraging! I would love to hear from my other readers too, so please leave me a comment and brighten my day :3 

**Oh and for anyone who is wondering about the timeline, this story is set in 2012.**


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